Impresing Totenkopf portrait

[NickG]

Member of the "totenkopfverbände", Golden party badge, ice cold look...

I know most don't like to hear it but the SS was declared a criminal organisation, I know the Waffen SS was an elite fighting unit, but he wasn't in the Waffen SS, he was probably a camp guard and war criminal...

Wow...slow down Nick VR.... He does wear a party pin so he's no angel, true! He is 100% Waffen SS and because the picture originates from Norway he is with certainty from one of the Totenkopfstandarten that was sent to Norway for occupation duty and these Waffen SS troops were attached to 6 SS gebirgs Division Nord. ("Brigide Nord"..later Div.) They were mostly Algemeine SS reservists, so older men which explains his appearance and party badge. So it is very doubtful he was a camp guard and war criminal. (unless he served in a camp in Germany, possibly prewar and prior to being deployed outside of the Reich... as TK units did have that association... stigma...)

These troops served in TK regiments 6 and 7 which was subordinate to the 6th SS "Nord" mountain Division and remained in Norway-Finland theatre from summer 1941 through September 1944... Because of these men's fighting inexperience they were broken up in to sub units which were (re)trained by Finns and became subordinate to Finnish troops during many operations. At that time (1942) Totenkopf Regimant 9 was added to Brigade "Nord" which later became a full Division with an excellant combat record, thanks to their Finnish tutors and comrades in arms who tought them all the tricks of the trade in the harsh Northern front conditions.
He is a fighting man or at least attached to a fighting unit...! Neat images! Thanks for sharing!
NickG

BTW if the picture was taken before 1943, he's wearing a "bergmutze" which is further proof he is not a camp guard but a fighting man! The visor does look short enough for it to be a "mountain cap" (not M43), as commonly issued to Gebirgs Division personnel! but the TK regiments did not wear the mountain edelweiss on their sleeves as they were not trained mountaineers...who knows?

[inimicus]

>"Nord" which later became a full Division with an excellant combat record, thanks to their Finnish tutors and comrades in arms who tought them all the tricks of the trade in the harsh Northern front conditions. <

it's worth noting as well that "Nord" Mt. Div. was never, I'm pretty sure, indicted for war crimes. As to the "tough" look of this man, it's likely he was simply sitting for ID photos, which don't usually require big toothy grins. Anyway, very nice images.

[Robin Lumsden]

Wow...slow down Nick VR.... He does wear a party pin so he's no angel, true! He is 100% Waffen SS and because the picture originates from Norway he is with certainty from one of the Totenkopfstandarten that was sent to Norway for occupation duty and these Waffen SS troops were attached to 6 SS gebirgs Division Nord. ("Brigide Nord"..later Div.) They were mostly Algemeine SS reservists, so older men which explains his appearance and party badge. So it is very doubtful he was a camp guard and war criminal. (unless he served in a camp in Germany, possibly prewar and prior to being deployed outside of the Reich... as TK units did have that association... stigma...)

These troops served in TK regiments 6 and 7 which was subordinate to the 6th SS "Nord" mountain Division and remained in Norway-Finland theatre from summer 1941 through September 1944... Because of these men's fighting inexperience they were broken up in to sub units which were (re)trained by Finns and became subordinate to Finnish troops during many operations. At that time (1942) Totenkopf Regimant 9 was added to Brigade "Nord" which later became a full Division with an excellant combat record, thanks to their Finnish tutors and comrades in arms who tought them all the tricks of the trade in the harsh Northern front conditions.
He is a fighting man or at least attached to a fighting unit...! Neat images! Thanks for sharing!
NickG

BTW if the picture was taken before 1943, he's wearing a "bergmutze" which is further proof he is not a camp guard but a fighting man! The visor does look short enough for it to be a "mountain cap" (not M43), as commonly issued to Gebirgs Division personnel! but the TK regiments did not wear the mountain edelweiss on their sleeves as they were not trained mountaineers...who knows?

Well said.
It a change to see someone who knows what they're talking about.

[Nick VR]

Well said indeed NickG, in that case, nice pictures...

[Felix]

NickG! Well said!

Thanks!

Its interesting how much you can figure out from some small photos. I feel we are getting closer to the truth.

"Felix" - N. Hansson

[jimt]

dtotenkopf

I think the man held a reserve rank and is on active duty , quite often Allgemeine men were on active duty for a period of time every year , there rank is reduced in this capacity , that would explain the GPB badge, alter Kampfer chevron etc. An example of this would be a HSSPF by the name of Kurt Ludwig, very early SS , Party member , GBP holder and SS Oberfuhrer , in 1940 he was also a reserve officer attached to the 12 SS T. Standarte . his rank was Obersturmfuhrer der Res.
I am sure the pictured EM was in this same situation as Ludwig but was maybe a lower grade officer in the Allgemeine SS so his ranking in the W-SS is also reduced , perhaps even a Party official ?
jimtoncar

[Fred S]

Thanks Nick and Jim, both your explanation make sense.