Help identifying my Opa's uniform

[summoner]

Greetings. I am currently working on my family history and hoping you guys can help me. I have gotten a copy of this photo of my Opa and am wondering what info can be gather from it? Since I have no real idea on how to identify things (I am trying to learn though) I thought this would be the best place to turn

Now I know it is a long shot to get some of the nitty gritty details due to the quality of the image but i'l take what I can get. A bit of extra info, from what relatives have told me he was wounded in combat and while recovering in his home village of Eibiswald he managed to scare off a group of partisans which were coming over the border from slovenia and for this he was awarded a commendation. I am still waiting to hear back from the Staatsarchiv of Austria on more information to confirm this.

Here is a small copy of the image to give a general idea


link to higher res of the image, still not brilliant though
http://www.club2302.net/misc/misc%20...pa%20large.jpg

Thanks again
-Mark

[Johnny R]

Since you are a relative you may be able to get more information and perhaps service records etc. here-

http://www.dd-wast.de/frame_e.htm

[summoner]

Since you are a relative you may be able to get more information and perhaps service records etc. here-

http://www.dd-wast.de/frame_e.htm

Brilliant! I will send them an email. I tried the Austrian Bundesheer but they steered me to the staatarchiv which I have emailed but am still waiting for a response from. Most appreciated

[BergführerKiser]

Servus Mark,

To my eyes, your Opa seems to be a Gebirgsjäger Obergefreiter (corporal), with an Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon, and either a Silver Wound Badge, General Assault Badge or maybe the Anti-Partisan Badge on his pocket.

Another place you might find information about your Opa is the Gebirgsjäger Veterans Association:

http://www.kamkreis-gebirgstruppe.de/


Mit einem kameradschaftlichen Horrido!

Patrick

Gebirgsjäger Historian and Collector

[summoner]

Servus Mark,

To my eyes, your Opa seems to be a Gebirgsjäger Obergefreiter (corporal), with an Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon, and either a Silver Wound Badge, General Assault Badge or maybe the Anti-Partisan Badge on his pocket.

Another place you might find information about your Opa is the Gebirgsjäger Veterans Association:

http://www.kamkreis-gebirgstruppe.de/


Mit einem kameradschaftlichen Horrido!

Patrick

Gebirgsjäger Historian and Collector

Grüß Gott, thanks for the info it matches very much what my uncle and mum have told me. The badge could be either of the 3 as he was wounded in combat and then fought partisans. Are you able to steer me in the right direction on the type of jacket/trousers/belt he may be wearing? As I would love to start collecting the items to get my Austrian Militaria started.

The link you provided also helped, since my german reading/writing is not brilliant (we emigrated when I was 4) I had mum read through it this morning for and she actually realised we have the equivalent in Austrian http://www.okb.at/index.php?land_id=6 Upon further investigation of the members for Eibiswald it turns out 1 is my late oma's former boyfriend and lives across the road from the family home. Some others there mum knows the surname and is sure my fav uncle will know them (the village isn't exactly big). So next time i'm up there (which is fortunately end of this year) I can actually speak to these people.

All this help has been most appreciated. My family history is important to me and I hate to think what could be lost if I don't try and preserve it.

[BergführerKiser]

Grüß Di' Mark,

Glad to be of help. I had the good fortune of living in Germany for 10 years during the 1980's and had a nice little weekend apartment in the Kaisergebirge near Küfstein, Austria. I've been collecting Gebirgsjäger militaria for almost 30 years.

As to your Opa's uniform, he looks to be wearing a standard Army Tunic (1943 pattern), an Enlisted Man's belt with army buckle, either M43 trousers or Berghose (mountain trousers), and mountain boots. His cap is a Bergmütze (mountain cap)...more than likely a privately purchased model made from light grey doeskin wool. Unfortunately, the photograph is not very sharp and loses a lot of detail.

Here's a similar tunic that I have in my collection:



Berg Heil und Horrido!

Patrick

Gebirgsjäger Historian and Collector