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Ultimately aimed at military related photographs, I
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EXAMPLES SHOWN BELOW: |
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Page 1 ( WW2 ) |
WORLD WAR II |
Page 2 ( WW1 ) |
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Generalleutnant - Alfred Hemmann |
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NAME -
Oberst Alfred
Hemmann
DATE -
Post
1st February 1942
Hemman was awarded the Knights Cross on the 21st August 1941. He was born
on the 13th October 1895 in Gliwice, Upper
Silesia and entered service on the 10th October
1914. I was unable to find any detailed
information regarding his career during the
first War other than he attained the rank of
Lieutenant on May 22nd 1915 after serving as
platoon leader in the 22nd Infantry Regiment.
From 1920-1935 he entered the Police Service
climbing the ranks, before achieving the rank of
Captain on 15th October 1935 before transferring
to the Army on the same date. He immediately
transferred to the staff of the 28th Infantry
Regiment ( 15th October 1935 - 12th October 1937
). During this command he was promoted to Major.
By the start of WWII, Alfred Hemman had
served 2 years in command of "I" Battalion of
the 51st Infantry Regiment ( 12th October 1937 -
23rd May 1940 ) achieving a promotion to the
rank of Lieutenant Colonel on June 1st 1939.
In August 1940 Alfred Hemmann was charged with
the general command of the newly formed XXVVIII
Army Corps ( August 1st 1940 - May 22nd 1941 )
before transferring as Commander of the 426th
Infantry Regiment on June 17th 1941 and spending
the next 6 months in this role. It was during
this command that Hemmann earned the Ritterkreuz
on 21st August 1941. On the 2nd of December 1941
he was taken ill and hospitalised, I am not sure
if this was general ill health or battle
inflicted wounds ( no information available )
but was promoted shortly after in February 1942
to a full Colonel. He spent the next two and a
half years in command of Instructional Infantry
schools and reserve placements before taking
command of the 263rd Infantry Division on the
1st October 1944 as the War deteriorated. He was
promoted to Generalmajor on the same date as
being assigned to this command and spent the
remainder of the war in charge of this Division
before surrendering to Soviet troops on May 9th
1945. He was promoted to Generalleutnant less
than 3 weeks before his capture.
Hemman spent 10 years in Soviet captivity and
was released on the 6th October 1955, he died
two years later in Friedberg, Hesse on the 26th
September 1957, aged 62.
PROMOTIONS -
Fähnrich (22 Mar 1915) Leutnant (22
May 1915) Polizei-Oberleutnant (03 Aug
1920) Hauptmann der Abstimmungs-Polizei
(15 Nov 1920) Oberleutnant der
Schutzpolizei (01 Jul 1922) Polizei-Hauptmann
(30 Jun 1926) Polizei-Major (01 Jan 1934)
Hauptmann (15 Oct 1935) Major (01 Mar 1936)
Oberstleutnant (01 Jun 1939) Oberst (01 Feb
1942) Generalmajor (01 Oct 1944)
Generalleutnant (20 Apr 1945) .
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General der Infanterie - Martin Gareis |
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NAME -
Generalleutnant Martin Gareis
DATE -
Post 1st
January 1943
Knights Cross awarded 29th November 1943. Martin Gareis was born on
October 6th 1891 in Buch near Berlin. He entered
service in 1909 and served throughout both Wars
and the interim Weimar period in the Army,
rising from a private ( 21st December 1909 ) to
General of the Infantry ( 1st April 1945 ). His
early career and during WWI was associated with
MG or machine gun units in the 24th Infantry
Regiment and had already achieved the rank of
Leutnant, he was wounded early in the War (
October 30th 1914 - February 15th 1915 )
resulting in nearly 4 months of hospital care.
He was to stay with the 24th Regiment throughout
the remainder of WW1 before transferring to
103rd Reichswehr Infantry Regiment in 1919, he
was now an Oberleutnant.
During the Weimar period and up until 1933
Martin Gareis has assumed various commands and
positions in the 5th Infantry Regiment and had
achieved the rank of Major ( 1st August 1933 ).
He was placed in command of the 2nd Battalion of
the 2nd Infantry Regiment from 15th October 1935
and was promoted to Oberstleutnant, achieving
full Colonel or Oberst in 1938. With the onset
of War in 1939, Gareis assumed command of the
282nd Infantry Regiment ( 25th September 1939 -
31st December 1941 ), it was during this command
that he earned the German Cross in Gold ( 18th
October 1941 ).
In February 1942 Oberst Martin Gareis along with
his Deutches Kreuz in Gold was promoted to
Generalmajor ( 1st February 1942 ) and placed in
command of the 98th Infantry Division fighting
on the Eastern front, a position he remained in
for 2 years at the height of the WWII. He was
promoted to Generalleutnant on the 1st January
1943 and on the 29th November 1943 was the
recipient of the Ritterkreuz or Knights Cross as
Commander of the 98th.
As the war deteriorated for Germany during the
latter stages, Gareis was temporarily replaced
as Commander of the 98th and for a five month
period assumed command of the static 264th
Infantry Regiment in Croatia ( 5th May 1944 -
9th October 1944 ) however as the war
progressively worsened, he was quickly switched
and delegated with command of the XXXXVI Panzer
Corps in January 1945 on the Eastern front
earning his final promotion to General der
Infanterie on 1st April.
Four weeks later he was in British captivity and
was finally released in June 1947. A career
soldier and experienced veteran Martin Gareis
died on the 26th February 1976 aged 85 years old
in Kreuth.
PROMOTIONS -
Fahnrich (21 Dec 1909) Leutnant (18 Aug 1911)
Oberleutnant (18 Aug 1918) Hauptmann (1 Oct
1923) Major (1 Aug 1933) Oberstleutnant ( 1 Mar
1936) Oberst ( 1 Aug 1938) Generalmajor (1 Jan
1942) Generalleutnant (1 Jan 1943) General der
Infanterie (1 Apr 1945).
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Army Officer Candidate - Unknown |
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NAME -
Unknown
DATE
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1939-1940?
Going by the lack of hue to the piping and
the unit designation "71" on the shoulder
boards, my guess would be a Fahnenjunker or
Officer Candidate in the 71st Infantry Regiment.
I am however absolutely terrible when it comes
to uniforms, units and rank affiliation, so any
help or observations are appreciated with this
or any other un-identified photograph on this
page. |
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SS Rottenführer ( Corporal ) - Unknown |
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NAME -
Unknown
DATE -
1939-1945
This picture was tough for me as my knowledge of SS related uniform
regalia is very limited. It was also apparent
that the tunic and cap sported some form of
coloured piping and after a little research I
opted to use a bit of artistic license I am
afraid. I was able to determine his rank as a
Rottenführer, which I
understand gave the soldier the option to apply
for a commission. Whether it is possible from
the picture to determine if he was currently
undergoing Junior Leader training is beyond me,
but I am sure somebody will let me know. As a
Rottenführer or Corporal,
he would have had the charge of a team of 5-7
people. |
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Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger ( Paratrooper ) - Unknown |
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NAME -
Unknown
DATE -
Unknown
A Gefreiter or Aircraftmen 1st class in the Fallschirmjager or Paratroop
Regiment.
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SS Mann ( Trooper ) - Unknown |
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NAME -
Unknown
DATE -
Unknown
Appears to be a new young recruit, no rank and a crisp looking uniform.
Any information gratefully received. |
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Generalfeldmarschall - Job Wilhelm Georg Erdmann
Erwin von Witzleben |
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NAME -Job
Wilhelm Georg Erdmann Erwin von Witzleben
DATE -
Post
19th July 1940
His parent's obviously had a few disagreements on what to call him as a
child. Awarded the Ritterkreuz on the 24th June
1940, three weeks prior to his promotion to
Generalfeldmarschall.
Erwin Witzleben was born on the 4th December 1881 in Breslau and came from
a privileged background and family nobility. He
entered military service in the Prussian cadet
corps and on the 22nd June 1901 entered the
Grenadier Regiment as a Leutnant. By the start
of the Great War von Witzleben had risen to the
rank of Captain. He was highly decorated during
WWI serving with the Reserve Infantry Regiment
No6 and fought at Verdun, Champagne and
Flanders, earning both EK's after being
seriously wounded. During his rehabilitation he
attended General Staff training and by the end
of the War had gained the position of General
Staff Officer of the 121st Infantry Division.
Erwin von Witzleben was to rise 3 more ranks
during the Weimar period and on the 1st February
1934 was promoted to Generalmajor. It was during
1934 that von Witzleben started to voice his
disapproval of the Nazi regime demanding an
enquiry into the death of two fellow noblemen
during the night of the long knives.
Prior to taking command of the 3rd Army
Corps in Berlin in September 1935 he was
promoted to Generalleutnant and subsequently
General der Infanterie on taking up the
position. Erwin proved to be very outspoken
against Hitler and his tactics and the Nazi's in
general, voicing his concerns over Hitlers
persecution of General Werner von Fritsch, this
led to him being forced into early retirement
for a short period before his position was
restored with the onset of War.
Erwin von Witzleben was actively engaged and a
major player in plotting to overthrow Hitler as
early as 1937 and was part of the group planning
to seize Hitler in 1939 and Witzelben's role was
to take control of the Nazi parties
headquarters. Meanwhile in November 1938 he was
posted as Commander in Chief of Army Group II
and achieved the rank of Generaloberst on the
1st November 1939. For his role as Commander of
the first Army group during the France campaign
and the surrender of several Divisions within a
three day period, Erwin von Witzleben was
awarded the Ritterkreuz or Knights Cross ( 24th
June 1940 ) and three weeks later was promoted
to Generalfeldmarschall ( 19th July 1940 ).
It was assumed that Witzleben would assume supreme command over the entire
Wehrmacht as the highest ranking German soldier
but in 1944 and as a major player in the 20th
July bomb plot on Hitler's life, von Witzleben
was arrested at his country estate after it
became evident that the plot had failed. He was
humiliated in public court, given oversized
trousers and no belt and having had his false
teeth removed ( 7th August 1944 ) and was
sentenced to death for his role in the plot and
ultimately for his outspoken beliefs regarding
the Nazi regime in general. He responded on his
sentencing: "You may hand us over to the
executioner but in three months time, the
disgusted and harried people will bring you to
book and drag you alive through the dirt in the
streets!".
A devoted and career soldier, Erwin von
Witzleben was hanged from a meat-hook with piano
wire ( 8th August 1944 ) filmed by the SS for
Hitler's viewing. He was 62.
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HJ Boy Volkssturm ( Homeguard ) - Unknown |
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NAME -
Unknown
DATE - Post
October 18th 1944
A very young boy conscripted into the Volkssturm or Home-guard,
established on the orders of Hitler ( 18th
October 1944 ) and as a last stand or defence of
the German homeland. Each home defence unit
consisted of 642 men, mainly boys, elderly,
invalided or men unfit for military service.
This young chap was probably an active member of
the Hitler Youth although there is no badge
evident and was given an over-sized Saharaiana
SS tropical uniform. The unit designation on the
shoulder patches still in place. Highly
collectible today as a uniform and a thought
provoking image.
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Generalleutnant - Theodor Scherer |
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NAME -
Generalleutnant Theodor Scherer
DATE - Post
5th May 1942
Serving as a machine gunner throughout WWI and achieving the rank of
Leutnant, Theodor Scherer spent the next 15
years as a Police Officer. In 1935 he rejoined
the Army and maintained the rank of
Oberstleutnant. Surprisingly Scherer did not
attain the Iron Cross first or second class
until June 1940 and it was during this year,
ranked as Generalmajor that he was given command of
Infantry Regiment 507. Serving with distinction
on the Western Front Theodor Scherer was charged
with the command of Security Division 281 which
where rear guard and lightly equipped formations
who supplied security and organisational roles
behind the front line. His previous Police
background would have played a heavy part in
this new assignment and it was ultimately a move
that was to place him firmly in the spotlight.
In January 1942 Scherer and Division 281 where
fighting a rear guard action on the Eastern
Front as the Russians advanced. Located in Cholm
on the Loat River and with a rag tag assortment
of various Reserve Police and Luftwaffe units
along with elements of two Infantry Regiments (
Approx 5500 men ) defended the town for 107 days
against overwhelming enemy attacks which
included a total of almost 2000 separate Red
Army assaults. When Theodor Scherer and his men
were finally relieved on May 5th 1942 his troops
numbered less than 1200. He was awarded the
Knights Cross on February 20th 1942 while the
battle and defence was in mid flow and probably
as an incentive to keep fighting, and the
Oakleaves to the Knights Cross on the day he was
relieved ( May 5th 1942 ). Hitler also
authorised an award after the event in honour of
the battle which is highly collectable today -
The Cholm Shield.
On 11th November 1942 he was promoted to
Generalleutnant and the following day took
command of the 83rd Infantry Division, by the
20th of the same month the Russians had again
encircled 7500 men of his Command in
Velikije Luki and after another four week
defence, only 200 men made it clear to the
German lines after several rescue attempts
failed.
Generalleutnant Theodor Scherer assumed several
other Commands for the remainder of the War,
notably the 4th Panzer Army Group defending the
Russian advance on the Elbe in 1944. He survived
the War and was killed in a road accident on the
17th May 1951 aged 61. |
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Page 1 ( WW2 ) |
WWI |
Page 2 ( WW1 ) |
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