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Need help with this uniform.
Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 6:18 am
by kahl
Hello all!
Can any help me with this photo?
What kind of SS is he? The number on his uniform is 85.
The photo is from 1939 and 12,5x8,5 cm.
Thank you in advance..
Re: Need help with this uniform.
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 10:46 am
by Doktor Krollspell
Helo Kahl!
Your man is a SS-Mann belonging to SS-Standarte 85 based in Saarbrücken.
Regards,
Krollspell
Re: Need help with this uniform.
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:59 am
by kahl
Re: Need help with this uniform.
Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 1:21 pm
by awaygood
This is quite an interesting photograph, actually, as a lot of information can be determined from the insignia.
Starting with the man's cap, the first pattern (National-Socialist style) eagle is shown in combination with the second pattern death's head ('totenkopf') badge. This dates the cap around the transitional period of 1934/5 when the earlier eagle was often seen worn with the later death's head badge, or vice versa -depending on which of the new badges were issued first. In fact, many photographs show a combination of second pattern eagle with first pattern death's head worn throughout the war by some individuals.
The collar piping (black and white) and collar-tab piping (white) combination for other ranks (enlisted men) shown in the photograph dates the tunic as being issued between 1933 and 1934. This combination of piping went through two further changes during the periods 1934-1940 and 1940-1945.
Arabic numerals woven onto the right-hand collar patch indicated the SS man's regiment ('standarte') within the Allgemeine-SS. The blank left-hand collar patch indicated the man held the lowest rank of SS-Mann or private.
To summarise, the photograph shows an SS-Mann, a member of Standarte 85 of the Allgemeine-SS, wearing an uniform issued sometime between 1934-1935.
