SS Panzer men pic

[skalphunter]

Got this pic out from a photoalbum. Would appreciate any help identifying that unit as well what kind of tank. IMO they have skulls on the right collar tab. On the back it says " Friendly rememberance amongst my comrades" "Breakdown over" SS Division and a Name. Could not make better pics as my scanner is on strike.
skalp

[skalphunter]

pics

pics

[MarcRikmenspoel]

These are men from a Totenkopf unit. The tank appears to be a French Hotchkiss H-39. The Aufklaerungs Abteilung Totenkopf was the first Panzer unit in the Waffen-SS, employing a platoon of Czech-made 35-T in the 1940 Western Campaign. Perhaps this booty French tank was added to the unit.

The Totenkopf Division also served alongside Panzer Divisions, this tank could belong to, for example, the 7. Panzer Division. The posing men don't appear to be Panzer soldiers, so they simply took advantage of passing near the tank to pose for this photo.

An alternate explanation is that these men belong to a Totenkopf Standarte (or later version as a Totenkopf Infanterie Regiment). In that case, this photo could have been taken almost anywhere in Germany or German-occupied territory in the summer of 1940 or spring of 1941 (before these units converted into SS-Infanterie Regiments, and stopped wearing skull collar patches).

[skalphunter]

Thank you very much Marc ! I was trying to connect what is written on the back with the photo itself. Basically as i mentioned before it says "Panne vorbei" means that the panzer is running again after a breakdown. And it says " SS Division"so i thought those SS man are connected with the panzer. Anyhow interesting as the panzer is a "Beutepanzer" from the enemy with the german cross on it.
skalp

[12thPanzer]

Nice photo and good info from Marc!