I picked this portrait up years ago in Germany at a flea market. Other than it looking "Cool" Can anyone out there tell me about the unit and the meaning of the armband. Thanks!
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Here is the Armband. -
Two Freikorps units wore this collar badge. As it's B&W, it's difficult to know which.
1/ Württembergische Freiwilligen-Abteilung Haas/Freikorp Haas (silvered bronze or plain bronze)
2/ Detachement von Oven/Freikorps von Oven/Freiw. Regiment von Oven (fire gilt-bronze)
I've attached a pic of the collar of Freikorps von Oven.
The armband is likely some type of Einwohnerwehr (Civil Defence), normally worn by civilians temporarily attached to Freikorps units. However, Freikorps units operating in the capacity of civil defence would have also worn the armband. My first thought was a Bavarian Einwohnerwehr because most of the major Freikorps units were involved in fighting the communists in Bavaria in 1919.
As the front of the armband is not shown it's also possible that it's could be Zeit-Freiwillige-Wehr Württemberg or even Selbschutz-Oberschlesien.
It's hard to know for sure.Comment
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Thanks for your response and information
That helps nail it down as the flea market was in Baden-Wurtemburg. The shoulde rstraps though would still indicate that this guy is a Leutnant, correct?
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Yes. It looks like he's a Leutnant.Comment
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Nice picture of a Kar98AZ carbine.Comment
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