Foto/Picture Czech SS men?

[bergler]

Hi,
I have this picture of as it seems czech/slowakian military men in german uniforms. At a closer look some of them have black collor tabs and all of them semm to have an SS eagle on the cap. I can not read the writing, and firstly thought it is Luftwaffe related because of the aeroplane on the pic, but I think it is SS. I found the picture on an old attic, together with another pic of an czech soldier with an interesting and unknown (to me) award on the breast pocket.
I would like to learn more about this group/picture. Somehow it seems related to the Skoda factory, as the sign of Skoda is shown multiple times.....

[Ian Hulley]

The cap eagle is the Slovakian version of the SS cap eagle ... perhaps these men were some sort of defense guards at the Skoda factory ?

Ian

[bergler]

That is a possibility...but SS as defense guards in a factory?

Anybody can translate the writing? That might bring some light ;-)

The thing is they wear the SS cap eagle, and underneath on the cap it seems that they wear the skoda logo. So mabe really special SS skoda defence units?

[Pepe77]

Slovakian writing at the top means: Transportation factory guard squad. And badge in which you´re interested was awarded to motorized slovakian soldiers who served in 1941-42 on the eastern front

[bergler]

thanks! and can you be so kind and translate all the rest as well. Seems to be an SS factory guard group from skoda airplane factory or reparation plant, right?

[bergler]

and teh badge is from the slovakian schnelle division (fast division), right? a memory medal or award....

[Pepe77]

thanks! and can you be so kind and translate all the rest as well. Seems to be an SS factory guard group from skoda airplane factory or reparation plant, right?

You´re welcome! Actually there´s nothing left to translate except the writing on the top. It really seems like Skoda factory for airplanes. Interesting might be the shortcut BZ-TDP but I have no clue what does it mean.

[Pepe77]

and teh badge is from the slovakian schnelle division (fast division), right? a memory medal or award....

Yes, that´s a fast division award indeed.

http://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.a...108&art_id=456

[bergler]

You´re welcome! Actually there´s nothing left to translate except the writing on the top. It really seems like Skoda factory for airplanes. Interesting might be the shortcut BZ-TDP but I have no clue what does it mean.

TBD I know already:
Škoda-Kauba airplane reparation factory in Trenčianske Biskupice. The factory was named TDP "Továreň na dopravné prostriedky"

[John T]

Neat, I never saw a picture of one in wear!

[bergler]

You´re welcome! Actually there´s nothing left to translate except the writing on the top. It really seems like Skoda factory for airplanes. Interesting might be the shortcut BZ-TDP but I have no clue what does it mean.

Hi, can you somehow find out what this BZ could mean? Mabe asking some fellow collectors or friends, but I think this might be important ;-)
Thanks!

[NickG]

Slovak! The cap eagle used appears to be this one! (from my collection)
Probably aircraft factory guard (like Slovak "Werkschutz" = factory guard)

[bergler]

Yes, That would be the One.......

[NickG]

Here's the cap with this Slovak SS eagle. Ian is spot on!
Note city = Bratislava = Slovakia.... !It also lists "Pressburg" which is the old German name for Bratislava.
As a matter of fact the entire address appears in German, including maker's name and street address...
All listed in German spelling! Obviously a pro-German cap meant to be worn by a minority German in Slovakia! Possibly Werkschutz related as well!
Cap was denazified and restored. it is amazing that it survived, post war Slovakia was very anti Germany, deporting all its Slovak citizens of German decent (VolksDeutschers)

[NickG]

Close up of Slovak maker sweat shield, all text in German of course!...
The images that started this thread are now proof that this eagle was used for factory guard workers which my cap might be.

We already knew that this SS style cap eagle was also used by the Slovak Deutsche Partei (affiliated Nazi party FS) and by
Croatian forces, self-defense storm troopers (Einsatzstaffel = main organization of ethnic Germans in Croatia),
so now we have a revelation of a third possibility! Slovak werkschutzen!