Waffen-SS: Knights cross winner photos (Hoffmann cards)

[frankandfrank]

Original Hoffmann postcards you can see:
hoffmann postcards from the waffen-ss are only with the number original, other are fantasy cards!
ralf
down you can see the photos, number is writting!

[frankandfrank]

Waffen-SS: Klingenberg

with stamped signature of Klingenberg.
on the backside with No. R 78

[frankandfrank]

Waffen-SS

number on the backside of original hoffmann postcard
Klingenberg = R 12
Klingenberg = 1525
Eicke = 78
Pannier = R 116
Weißer = R 122
Kumm = R 138
Skorzeny = 174
Sepp Dietrich = 187
Sepp Dietrich = 1556
Steiner = R 212
Gille = R 215
von Scholz = R 224
Frey = R 229
Priess = R 253

the fake Diergaten had no number!

[frankandfrank]

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[frankandfrank]

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[frankandfrank]

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[frankandfrank]

Now you can see the fantasy fake!

Its a fantasy Hoffmann postcard! No Original!
Diergarten!
Backside without No

regards
ralf

[frankandfrank]

Otto Kumm( with a other rank)

now the second Kumm. when you compare with the first card.
the second card is Kumm with a other rank.
Original handwritting wartime signed from Kumm!
A wartime signature of Kumm is rarer than a Sepp Dietrich or Gille signature!
ralf

[Denis]

Hi Ralf
Many thanks for the info. Demelhuber is number 1533 or 1583.
Regards
Denis

[Akira Takiguchi]

The "fake" cards seem to lack translucent tape effect on their names, and they use completely different font.

[Denis]

Here is a comparison between a fake card of Frey and the original posted by Ralf.
Note that the fake displays a "shortened" sight (ribbon bar almost invisible, caption at the level of the KC and not below)
When I thought that the "fantasy" cards were postwar reprints from wartime cards, I base my opinion on these 2 photos.

The good one from Ralf

[Denis]

The bad one

[APC]

Unanswered Questions

I have been thinking about this a lot and I have to say that I am not convinced on the Fakes from what has been posted so far.

Saying that because the paper is different, or there is no number does not necessarly make them post war cards or Fakes. The printing on the reverse of the not numbered cards is also larger BTW.

I will say, that if they are fakes, they are pretty good, and someone went to a lot of trouble and expense to accurately copy the originals PC`s style.

The cards in question also are not as sharp as the numbered Hoffmann PC`s, they are usually not " Studio " shots, but in the field outside shots. If so, then a smaller Camera, producing a smaller Negative was used. In fact they look like copies to me, but that does not make them Post War.

Since many of the non numbered copies look like they were done late in the war, many things could account for this.

1: Hoffmann bought negatives from other photographers and printed them.

3. He could not get numbered photo paper as the war progressed.

2. Perhaps Hoffmanns studio was destroyed/damaged in the bombings, and he never used numbers on the new photos.


For me the big questions are:

Did Hoffmann and / or the negatives survive the war. Where was his studio ?

Has anyone an original Wartime list of all the Hoffmann RKT PC`s ?

Has anyone seen a non numbered Hoffmann used in wartime with a date stamp ?

[Joseph D'Errico]

Hello Gentlemen,

I have to disagree that all Hoffman from the Waffen SS series are not all numbered as this would be pure speculation. I have had original Hoffman Waffen SS PCs that do not have numbers. The idea of using the numbers as an indicator of an original vs. fake is way to universal. The fake SS cards are easily spotted, even the good ones. The margining the reverse of the fakes is blacker than a high gray scale as well as lacking the sharpness in detail; the fakes have a rubber stamp like look.

- Also the fakes are glossier to the front than originals as originals have almost a dulled powered finish from age.

- On the fakes the margins are also off from the originals as well as picture composition.

- A reasonable staring point is to black light the card from the reverse, as there are original pieces that will fluoresce, the Waffen SS series is not part of that.

- The fakes are always going to be darker; meaning the gray scales and blacks.

A very important note, worth mentioning is that recently there has been a huge influx of fake Waffen SS pcs to hit the market.

@ Ralf, what is the source of your information regarding that unless the cards are numbered they are fake?

Hoffman series PCs were a huge enterprise, and Hoffman used multiple photographers as well as studios to take pictures that eventually bore his name, as well as buying from freelance photographers. Also employed were multiple printing firms from all over Germany to produce such large runs.

Therefore, IMHO I think it is incorrect to use such universal terms, as they could be misleading.

Cordially yours,
JD