SS East Front Tanker Ceremony

[Sgnt Fury]

Hi I thought I would share some original pictures I have of an SS ceremony taking place in the East Front in September 1943. I think it might be an awards ceremony for Panzer troops but am not sure. Can anyone offer opinions?

[Sgnt Fury]

another picture

[Sgnt Fury]

one more

[InfanterieSammler]

Neat photos, thanks for sharing...The second photo clearly shows Fritz Witz, and a reviewing Panzer troops in the others. As a regimental commander in the LAH until the spring of '43 this would be an unlikely scenario, but as commander of the newly formed SS division 'Hitlerjugend' this would make more sense. In the second photo Witt appears to be wearing SS-Oberfuehrer rank tabs. He was promoted to this rank on 1 July '43 and then he wasn't promoted the rank of SS-Brigadefuehrer until 20 April '44. So obviously we would be talking about this time frame and given the amount of time needed to raise the new HJ division, I would date this photo in the early spring '44 and probably somewhere in Belgium/France...Best, John

[Sgnt Fury]

Thanks for the info John, that would make sense actually as the orignal owner of the photos or one of his brothers was in the HJ division I believe, other pics were clearly the Russian front so I guess I just assumed this was there. I have another pic where it looks like they are watching a Tiger tank in the same area on manuevers or something. Also did Fritz Witt survive the war

[Sgnt Fury]

Pic of Tiger Tank being admired by SS men

[InfanterieSammler]

Not sure if you were refering to Fritz Witt, but he did have a younger brother, named Franz who was killed during the campaign in Yugoslavia in spring '41, they were both serving with the LAH at the time. Fritz did not survive the war, he was killed by Allied naval gunfire on 14 June '44 and was suceeded by Kurt Meyer as divisional commander.

[Sgnt Fury]

Sorry I did mean Fritz Witz, I gotta start proofreading before I post.

[Giel VW]

Really nice pictures!!

[Sgnt Fury]

thanks Giel
the pics from this man are my favorites, they were removed from photo albums that belonged to the SS man who took them, as you can tell by the pics though the albums were apparently damaged in a house fire, heres another one, does anyone know who this high ranking SS officer is? Looks like it might be Fritz again but I'm not sure, also check out the smartly dressed officer behind him!

[JOHN VD HEIJDEN]

re

My geuss would say: JOSEF(SEPP) DIETRICH

[Sgnt Fury]

Hey that is Sepp, I have an original pic of Sepp and didn't even realize it, cool

[Simon V.]

Looks like it might be Fritz again but I'm not sure, also check out the smartly dressed officer behind him!

No, it is Josef Dietrich for sure this time (other pic was indeed Fritz Witt)
Pics were most probably taken in Belgium in 1943/44 like John already stated. This must have been some kind of ceremony of the Hitlerjugend Division

Cheers
Simon