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

[Joseph D'Errico]

I did not think that we were finished here? Can't someone post the reverse of two cards of the same person with numbers so that we can find out if the numbers were counters or etched in the plate?

Come on guys, I did my part on the lettering, with the reverse pics of the same person with a number we can put this to bed.

Cordially Yours,
JD

[Denis]

Hello

Here are 2 postcards showing both obverse and reverse sides for Joe.

First of all the obverse close up of the Kaleu. Rosenbaum postcard (#1594).

More to follow.

[Denis]

Here is the reverse close up of the Rosenbaum postcard.

[Denis]

Here is the obverse of General von H.

[Denis]

and its reverse

[Koenigstiger]

Hey out there...
i know its an old thread, but very interesting for me!!
Are there new infos...are there new experts, who can say something!?

Greez
F-16

[DZR]

Hoffmann Diamonds Winner GILLE - good one?

This card is very clear as you can see, and it is numbered R215 on the reverse. The card stock is a liitle whiter than most (it does NOT glow under blacklight). I was wondering if the experts can tell based upon the quality of the photo if this is an original. There is a light "tape" effect around the name (a good sign), here is a close-up

[DZR]

Hoffmann Diamonds Winner GILLE - good one?

And here is the full card...

[DZR]

VDA SS RKT Cards

Here are a couple of "VDA" published SS Knight's Cross Portrait cards - Dietrich

[DZR]

VDA SS RKT Cards

Here are a couple of "VDA" published SS Knight's Cross Portrait cards - Eiche

[DZR]

Legitimate non-numbered Hoffmann Cards?

Another member asked previously:

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

I would like to re-ask this question with the further comment - Show Me!

My opinion is that nobody has because I think they're all fake, but I'm open minded enough to review 'evidence' to the contrary.

[Mark C. Yerger]

Looking for someone who has an original of the Pannier and Gieske cards, please PM me. A quality scan needed for book illustration.

Mark

[TorpedoLos]

Taking an opportunity to unearth this thread once more to see if anyone has any additional takes. There were a lot of compelling arguments as to why non-numbered Hoffmann cards are post-war, but I'd be really interested to see if anyone has any argument - or better still, proof - as to why that is NOT the case.

[DZR]

Rudolf Pannier Hoffmann Card

A very scarce card - further to Mark's request above...

[Denis]

Hello gentlemen

It is funny to see this old thread surfaced with the help of the late Mark Yerger.

Akira has perfectly summarized the conclusion: these SS cards without any R code at their reverse and a Helvetica font must be considered as fakes.

Many cards of this serie depict brand new soldiers who had never been pictured in the original Hoffmann production of the so called R serie (as all card are numbered with a R prefix, R for Ritterkreuzträger).

These cards seem very familiar to most of us as they ware extensively used to illustrate most of reference books in the 70s-80s.

Here is a list of these SS fantasy cards

Firstly, not pictured in original Hoffmann R serie:
Wilhelm Bittrich
Hermann Borchers
Gerd Bremer
Hermann Buchner
Hans Diegarten
Walter Drexler
Willi Esslinger
Waldemar Fegelein
Fritz Freitag
Otto Giesecke
Ludwig Köchler
Otto Kron
Kurt Meyer
Otto Meyer
Eggert Neumann
Hans Joachim Rühle_von_Lilienstern
Karl Sattler
Hans Scherg
Karl Schalmelcher
Manfred Schönfelder
Anton Vandienken
Heinz Werner
Theodor Wisch

Then cards already pictured in the original R sery:
Sepp Dietrich
Hans Dorr
Theodor Eicke
Otto Skorzeny
Fritz Witt
Max Wünsche
Hermann Fegelein
Herbert Otto Gille

There is also another serie of fakes, still unnumbered at their reverse and depicting Brillanten winners. Most of these cards were showing picutres of soldiers that were never photograph'd by Hoffmann.
As far as I can remember, all 27 winners were "produced" with postwar font even the very latest one, Dietrich von Saucken who was awarded Diamonds on May 8, 1945.

For information, the very latest original Hoffmann card was published around October 1944 and there wasn't anymore new other card published until the end of the war.

I think this "Brillanten fantasy" serie was in fact produced in the early 60s in Germany after that Günther Fraschka has published his reference book "Mit Schwertern und Brillanten" about biographies of the 27 Diamonds recipients.

As for original and UNnumbured Hoffmann cards, it is true that you can encounter some of them. They are not so often seen. Most of time, they are poorly considered by collectors as they lack usual numbering and features of the R serie cards.
Here are 3 existing sources:
- KC holders cards published by the Hoffmann branch located in Strassburg (today Strassbourg in France): 48 cards existing, on a larger size than cards belonging to the R serie. Their caption are not located at the obverse but at the reverse side. They often depict a close up or a larger view of the same picutre already displayed in the R serie

- KC holders cards published by the Hoffmann branch located in Vienna / Wien: around 21 cards existing, like "Strassburger" ones, these Viennese cards are larger and bear no cazption at their obverse. Recipient's name is written at the reverse with a motto and a short bio notice. These cards are sometimes found with larger white edges.

- Last but not least, I have already seen 2 Hoffmann cards (one for Rommel, one for Dietrich) bearing a facsimile signature at their reverse and a text written at their reverse occupying half of the space. These ones are quite rare.

This year, Roger Bender will publish a book dealing with Hoffmann cards from the R serie. I'm sure you will find many interesting and new info with some cards that have never or barely been displayed so far.

PS: I'll post some examples of these Wien / Strassburg cards in a forthcoming message
Tks
Denis