Photo Retouching- Soldiers of the Waffen-SS

[MarcRikmenspoel]

Remy, the guys in black shirts are members of the Formations de Combat, the Rexist militia. These photos are from Pieske, when the Walloons arrived to begin their transfer into the Waffen-SS. They show the opening stages of the formation of the 5. SS-Sturmbrigade Wallonien. The members of the FC have arrived to join the Surmbrigade, and are being greeted by veterans. The veterans themselves have received SS insignia, but not collar patches yet.

[Kiwipom]

Last one from the three showing members of the Wallonie Division. Can anyone give us a some details who the men are in the black shirts? My guess is some sort of Belgian political group.

They are Rexists

[Remy Spezzano]

Thanks Marc for your input and helping to bring proper context to the photos. Your knowledge of the Waffen-SS foreign volunteers is really excellent and helps to fill in the gaps. We are all learning something new from it.

[Remy Spezzano]

A column of Waffen-SS armored personnel carriers driving through the city outskirts of Kharkov in March 1943.

Photographer: SS-Kriegsberichter Grönert

[Remy Spezzano]

The panzer man wearing the camo coveralls and white armband is from the 1. SS LAH Pz. Div. and the two Panther crew members are from Pz. Div. Grossdeutschland. This photo was taken during a training exercise in France 1944.

[MarcRikmenspoel]

I have a thread up here on this site about my Sunwheels and Siegrunen book.

Remy was nice enough to give me some pointers on photoshopping photos, and here is an extreme example of the difference it makes, for one of the book's photos. This shows a Norwegian of Den Norsk Legion on the Leningrad front in early 1942, and was taken by Norwegian Kriegsberichter Finn Holst Eines.

[Remy Spezzano]

Nice job Marc!

[Lloyd I.]

There is a lot that can be done with these old photos. Outside of just adjusting contrast or correcting hues/tone repair is very often needed. The Bundesarchiv negatives are usually suffering from scratches.

I corrected this one this past weekend when working on some things about 12th SS-HJ. SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Waldmüller, commander of I. Battalion/ SS-PzGren Rgt 25 “Hitlerjugend”

[Remy Spezzano]

It's been awhile since I've posted any new "Before and After" images on this thread. I will try to post something new every week.

Here's an interesting photo of two German policemen somewhere in Bosnia posting a propaganda poster promoting the 13th Waffen-SS Mountain Division "Handschar".

[Remy Spezzano]

And just by chance I came across this color photo of the poster. It's not exactly the same one text wise that you see in the wartime photo.

Often these types of recruiting posters were produced using the same artwork but changing the text for the regional language. For this poster the language is Croatian.

[dragnet]

Really enjoyed going thru the thread

[Remy Spezzano]

I wanted to share this recent colorization done by Benoit Vienne.

This photograph was taken by master photographer Ernst Baumann in August 1944. It's a nice study of a newly issued Waffen-SS Model 44 "Erbsentarn" (pea pattern) tunic and pants being worn by an SS-Hauptscharführer (SS-Chief platoon leader) of III Battalion, SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment “Germania."

It is interesting to point out that some of the men who served in this armored infantry battalion practiced a uniform style of tucking in their four pocket tunic inside the waist area of their pants to give a sharper appearance.

August 1944, Eastern Poland
Photographer: Ernst Baumann
Negative Nr. 169-15
Copyright 2017 Ernst Baumann Foto Archiv
Photo retouching by Remy Spezzano
Colorization by Benoit Vienne

For more great colorized photos by Benoit Vienne check out his Facebook page: facebook.com/WorldWarColorisation/

[kammo man]

Amazing work on this.

0wen

[jujuy]

if pic 94 and 95 are from the same guy he changed his eyes 's color

Heinz Harmel again

[Remy Spezzano]

if pic 94 and 95 are from the same guy he changed his eyes 's color

No it is not from the same guy. That B+W photo of Heinze Harmel was done by someone else.