Photos: Heer Officer, W-SS, LSSAH

[jwburchell]

Here are three pictures which I just acquired. I was told by the seller, an antique dealer who buys things from Russia, that they came out of that country (they were in an envelope bearing Russian print).

While I am no expert on photographic matters, they appear to be copies of original photos to me. In any case, I found them to be interesting:

i) some Waffen-SS men beside a vehicle (Kubelwagen?);
ii) an army officer (NOT a General, as I was told by the seller);
iii) and a sharp-looking young soldier (SS-Unterscharfuhrer, judging by his shoulder insignia in the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler which Division fought on the Russian front).

Any feedback and comments from forum members on the photos would be appreciated, please.

1. W-SS men and vehicle:

[jwburchell]

2. Heer Officer. Note 1939 EKII Spange in wear on the uniform indicating WW1 service. Can anyone please identify him?

[jwburchell]

3. SS Man - note 1939 EKII ribbon, Infantry Assault, DRL Sport and Wound badges; also SS buckle and, what appear to be LSSAH cypher insignia on the shoulder boards. Impressive photo!

[EKman]

I don't think #2 is a General.

[jwburchell]

Thanks, Chris. Absolutely right. Those are definitely not General's collar tabs. I've edited my posting accordingly.

Can anyone identify this officer?

[AJ]

The potrait photo of the WSS Panzer Unterscharführer looks like one of the wellknow fakes, which have been around for some time. The background are identical to the faks I have seen.
I was told these photos were made on old photopater from the original negatives found in an old photoshop.

And the fact, that they come from Russia with russian writings make them more suspecius
AJ

[Maikäfer]

I'm afraid AJ is right - this photo (the colour, the pose, the background) seems awfully familiar. On top of that it's yet another SS-Panzermann from LAH, their numbers of appearance are way above the normally to be expected quota.

[jwburchell]

Thanks, guys, for the comments on photo #3, which I appreciate. I accept what you say, as I suspected it was a copy - but not a fake. As I am not knowledgeable on the matter and just for my information, what does this mean? Other than what has been mentioned above, does fake also mean that the set-up of this picture has been staged or doctored digitally; that it is an original photo that has been altered, or what? I simply want to better understand your comments. The only odd thing which I noticed about this particular picture is the difference in the subject's eyes and eyebrows.

Any additional comments on this or pictures 1 & 2 from forum members will be appreciated, as well.

Thanks,
John

[WWIIBuff]

Fake vs Copy

John, for most people, the terms "fake" and "copy" typically mean the same thing in the world of WWII picture collecting. Picture collecting is unlike badge collecting where a fake is something outright bogus. With WWII pictures, typically any copies made after the war from period originals are considered a fake. That is what effects the value and desirability of the photo. It is also what you appear to have here.

Somewhere, somebody has the original of the LAH picture, and as was typical, there may also be many period reprints out there. But yours was probably made after the war from either the original or from one of those period reprints.

[jwburchell]

Thank you, John K., for the additional clarification.

I am still hopeful that someone out there might be able to identify the officer in picture #2.

Regards,
John