SS-Standartenführer not known.

[Georg_S]

Hello MAx,

Sandig was my first thought, but the rank and place doesn´t match so I tries to think beyond him =)

//Georg

[Max Williams]

I'm pretty sure this is Rudolf Sandig. Look at the scar on his lower right cheek next to his mouth. If you look at the bottom photo on p139 of Mark Yerger's "Images of the Waffen-SS" you can clearly see the same scar.
Max.

[Ignacio]

Max

In 1943 Sandig held the rank of Sturmbannführer. He was promoted to Obersturmbannführer on 1.07.44 (SS-Personalveranderungsblatt 10:4b of 1.09.44), never reaching the rank of Standartenführer.

Ignacio

[Max Williams]

Max

In 1943 Sandig held the rank of Sturmbannführer. He was promoted to Obersturmbannführer on 1.07.44 (SS-Personalveranderungsblatt 10:4b of 1.09.44), never reaching the rank of Standartenführer.

Ignacio

Yes I know. However, this man has Standartenführer rank epaulettes. He looks like Sandig and has a scar in exactly the same place as Sandig. Now you explain it!!
Max.

[Ivan Ž.]

It is amazing how much this person (upper row) indeed looks like Sandig (lower row). But apart from the rank (less important the fact he's also not wearing the KC Sandig already had) - the rings are also different and on different hands. But the face, hair...

Was he ever positively identified, Max?

Cheers,
Ivan

PS
Leibstandarte was actually quite nearby at that exact period, which should be the late summer of 1943 (sept./oct.). They were in Slovenia. So Sandig could have been there in theory.

[Ivan Ž.]

The mysterious person was indeed more than likely a Sipo/SD man (he was accompanied by an SD and an Orpo officer), and he was either an SS-Standartenführer or SS-Oberführer (the two ranks shared the same shoulder boards). This narrows the ID possibilities quite a bit (there weren't many high ranking Sipo/SD personnel in the area, that is, in Yugoslavia and Italy). He could indeed be SS-Oberführer Werner Fromm, as it was suggested earlier (he was stationed in Sarajevo). Unfortunately, no one seem to have his photo. As far as I know, no high Sipo/SD officers were stationed in Dubrovnik, where the photo was taken (so this was just a visit, obviously). There's also a good chance that they came to Dubrovnik from Italy, since some of the photos which seem to be from the same grouping (but taken elsewhere) show SS-Brif. Wilhelm Harster (again, just a possibility, not positive that the photos originate from the same film).

Maybe someone can identify the two officers that escorted the unknown SS-Standartenführer/SS-Oberführer? It might help.

SS-Hstuf. (SD)

hstuf.jpg (94.99 KiB) Viewed 543 times

Hauptmann (Orpo)

hauptm.jpg (95.48 KiB) Viewed 543 times

The mysterious SS-Standartenführer/SS-Oberführer

Cheers,
Ivan

[Dieter Zinke]

The mysterious SS-Standartenführer/SS-Oberführer

is apparently the later SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Polizei Willy Tensfeld

Cheers
Dieter Z.

[Ivan Ž.]

Sorry, Dieter, not him. He was promoted to SS-Brif. before the war even started in Yugoslavia. The above pictures were taken in 1944 or 1943.

Cheers,
Ivan