Ritterkreuz 21.9.40 Paepcke

[Brian S]

Langemarck. This one's for you!

[Brian S]

Oh, you want to see the front? OK...

You have NO idea how rare this particular RK and RK w/Eichenlaub winner's photos are! So imagine my joy at finding a 5" x 7" ORIGINAL from negative photo.

[tom hansen]

Brian-


Have you had that photo analyzed?

[Brian S]

Eh? Say what's on your mind???

Let me correct myself by saying the propaganda ministry probably had a photograph to create this from and not the negative, but, this is far far better than the Signal magazine copy!

[tom hansen]

Hello Brian-


Just the contrast of the frame looks a little bright and the margins less distnice than adjacent areas. I think, as I have found recently, that it is hard to tell if a cross has been added to the photograph unless analyzed. I will grab a few photos from the altered photo thread.

[tom hansen]

Here we go- added crosses

[tom hansen]

another

[tom hansen]

last one- all altered photos- note the similarity of the last two? I really think given this experience it is difficult to determine if a studio photo has had a cross added at some point without a professional analysis.

[Brian S]

Heinrich lived to receive his RK so I'd be more than surprised that this one was an add on by the Propaganda folks.

Also, I not ONLY have his RK photograph with the verbage you see above but ALSO his photo that was used to announce his death and the award of his Oakleaves. The same picture used in both examples.

Now trust me Tom, some of these are very obvious! As I get them photographed I'll show you how obvious some are.

[Brian S]

Here you are my friend. A close close close up only accomplished with the photo in hand not one in a book.

I spend quite a bit of time analyzing photos from my family and I'd ANALyze this one as the original cross. Maybe Langemarck will add his cross below to go with this picture.

[Brian S]

I also got the photo of Boerst who received his Oaks within a few days of Paepcke so his photo appeared side by side Paepcke's. Now this is a snippet of his Oaks from December 1942. Remember, this may be a doctored photo but it's an ORIGINAL doctored photo!

[tom hansen]

I am not trying to pick a fight and very much respect your opinion in these matters. I just think it is very hard to tell with these without some VERY detailed evaluation, as the above examples all show ADDED crosses to photos of still living recipients. Take a look below at the crosses pictured above- they both look pretty good.

[Brian S]

Here is Herr Oberleutnant Boerst with his 1.12.42 Eichenlaub.

[tom hansen]

How about this?

[tom hansen]

Brian- obviously the second photo is faked. But look at the three I posted. They all look pretty good, but are photos in which the cross has been added to a studio photo. In the first Paepcke photo you posted, the contrast of the cross looks a little funny relative to surrounding structures, which is indicative of an added cross to a studio photo.

See also the shadow the guy's collar on the ribbon? Where is it on the margin of the cross?

I am not bashing your photo at all. It is a great addition to your oaks and cross to Paepcke. But just consider that the cross may have been added to the photo.