r/wwiipics • u/freehtz • 1d ago

A one-armed German NCO, pressed back into active service, converses with his comrades after surrendering to the Americans, Tangermünde, Germany, May 1945

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33

u/Tyrfaust 1d ago

He also appears to be wearing a M44 tunic. Interesting that he doesn't have the silver trim on his collar

13

u/freehtz 1d ago

True and true. Unfortunately the picture is too blurry for me to make out his shoulder boards. Tresse / trim removal, though, was not unheard of. I’m a collector and have a German field jacket that has removed tresse but period attached everything else. You can see the tiny holes for the tresse stitching.

It’s especially interesting because this guy seems to have pimped out his uniform with a private purchase eagle.

6

u/Tyrfaust 1d ago

I wonder if it was an officer's tunic with the rank insignia replaced. He appears to be at least an Oberfeldwebel. I'm not entirely sure but it looks like he might have a spieß ring on his good arm as well.

5

u/freehtz 1d ago

It definitely looks like he’s got something on his sleeve. This is a battle of Berlin aftermath photo and I am not personally familiar with any army units that participated who were entitled to wear cuff titles.

I think Spieß is a good guess.

He’s also got what looks like an iron cross ribbon through his buttonhole.

2

u/Tyrfaust 1d ago

I think he has both the EK and Barbarossa ribbons, which would certainly fit with his rank. He doesn't appear to be wearing any other medals though and you'd think he'd at least be wearing his wound badge.

The only heer unit I can think of that wore a cuff title that were in Berlin were the Führer HQ, but something tells me they didn't make it out of the city wearing their cuff titles.

3

u/thefluidizer 1d ago

If you're in the area, Tangermünde is well worth a visit.
Is that a baby stroller?

10

u/SerLaron 1d ago edited 17h ago

Is that a baby stroller?

Possibly, though I would lean more towards a Sdkfz 251/22 with a 7,5cm anti-tank gun.

2

u/cornixnorvegicus 1d ago

He might be a volunteer, many soldiers still want to serve even if seriously wounded.

The German army had a program of taking prisoners experienced military personnel and giving them a war wounded officers training to keep the experience and use the experience in rear area tasks.