Ballon Observer on film?

[colin davie]

I wonder if a more experienced collector taped and can look at the HJ programme that was on T.V. here last night (Discovery).

Hitler meets and shakes the hand of an HJ leader who appears to be wearing this badge along with an IAB, EK1 and wound badge, it was last days of the war so is possible.

It could be a para. badge but the central device looks to fat to be the diving eagle, and to me looks like the balloon badge.

Anyway worth someone checking.

Colin

[colin davie]

Looked at it quite a few times, seems like a clear shot of a Balloon Badge.

This is just a shot with a digital camera off the T.V. ,but it's much clearer on the telly. Yes/No?

[Chris Boonzaier]

I wouzld go with army paratrooper,
all th ebest
Chris

[colin davie]

That was the alternative, maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see.

Best Regards

[Rick Research]

Chris is right Colin. The shape is indistinct enough to be either--but the color difference can only be the Army Paratrooper, since the Balloon Observer would have been all one color.

[VerKuilen Ager]

Doesn't appear to have the eagle at the top of the wreath either, making it a para.

[Mark S.]

Since the Balloon badge was instituted so late in the war, wouldnt it be easier to date the uniform trying to get a time frame for the picture?

Also, how would an active HJ member get the Army Para badge? Judging by his belt buckle, I would say hes an officer, so I am assuming its not a kid. Did these guys do double duty?

[Ken Jasper]

Many HJ Leaders served military stints before assuming or resuming HJ Leader positions. It is not at all unusual to see them wearing decorations for service in the war. Gerhard ("Gerd") Hein held the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and with the rank of HJ Gebietsfuehrer, he was responsible for the entire Wehrertuechtigungslager program. Later, as an SS Hauptsturmfuehrer, he comanded the Panzer-Gren. Rgt. 26 of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjungend." He won his KC with Oak Leaves while seving with the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Division of the Waffen-SS.

[ 28 August 2001: Message edited by: Ken Jasper ]