ID of SA officer at FHQ

[Mark Costa]

Can anyone identify this SA-Sturmführer? He was attached to the Führer's HQ and seems to have been the senior officer that managed the SS "Waiters" at the Berghof. He was the only SA man that wore the white "waiter" waist jacket. He can be seen in many photos taken at the Berghof and/or the FHQ's. Note the wartime SA-uniform. This particular photo was taken at the Wolfsschanze.

Thanks.

Mark Costa

[Max Williams]

Is this Kurt Rotte?
Max.

[Mark Costa]

Max:

That is my question ? I have heard of this SA-Sturmführer Kurt Rotte but have never seen a photo of him. This guy above is seen in many photos around the Berghof especially, but never identified. He seems to have been the head "waiter" of the SS valets. But why an SA man and the only one!! ??? I am hoping someone out there can shed some light on this guy or at least rule out Rotte.

Mark

[Helly Angel]

Hello Mark,

I have a confussion about that. You say that this uniform is from a SA man in wartime.

I saw the cut of the eagle like the Wehrmacht eagle, not the cut like the SS but the rest of the uniform look like a SS uniform to me. Can you make a commentary about that?

Interesting thread anyway!

TIA,

Helly

[Mark Costa]

Helly:

The eagle is in fact gold in color and is the standard wartime eagle worn on the SA uniform from 1939-45. This uniform was very rare and worn usually by those attached to the FHQ's. The color tabs are red in color and if you look closely you can see that they are lighter in shade here than the black in color that the SS would wear. Another person who wore this uniform on a regular basis was Hitler's Chief Adjutant Wilhelm Brückner. As I stated above, it was very rare -- but made with the war in mind, in the same manner that the NSKK uniform was also modified for wartime service.

This man above can be seen wearing the white "waiter" jacket on many occasions at the Berghof, Führerbau etc. On those occasions when Hitler reviewed his "valet" staff -- this man was always the first in line and was the only officer. A very nice color photo of him appears in the Arndt Publication --"Hitler's Berghof". In this book he is shown reviewing the dinner table at the Berghof with other SS "waiters". His RED color tabs and RED backed shoulder boards and RED backed SA sleeve eagle are very much in evident.

Mark Costa

[Mark Costa]

Here is a photo of the above SA Sturmfuhrer shaking hands with Hitler prior to a review of the SS waiters at a New Years celebration at the Berghof. Note the slight difference in the shade of the collar tabs and the fact that LSSAH sleeveband can be seen on one of the SS men but NOT on the SA officer who seems to be their leader.
He is in the position at every type of this review I have ever seen whether it be at the Berghof, Führerbau, RKL, FHQ's etc. This man obviously was head of this detail of men.

But the question is -- WHO IS HE ???

Mark Costa

[Mark Costa]

I am resurrecting this post in the hopes that someone will recognize this SA-Obersturmführer from Hitler's service. New information has come to light from Peter Hoffmann's book that mentions an SA-Obersturmführer Vater who was in charge of Hitler's Kitchen staff. As this man appears many times as the HEAD WAITER at the Berghof , Chancellery Wolfsschanze etc etc can this man be VATER ??? I am now inclined to think it is, instead of Rotte.

Anybody ???

Mark Costa

[Brabander]

Can you post some more pics of this man mabye it helps .

thanks

[Mark Costa]

Brabander:

The top photo is the only closeup I have of this man. All others are farther away. If one can recognize him from the closeup then I doubt anyone will with the farther away photos.

Mark

[Mark Costa]

I am again resurrecting this thread as I have found another photo of this elusive SA officer assigned to Hitler's staff. In an earlier post I hypothesized that this man might be an SA Obersturmfuhrer Vater that worked with the valets and the Führer's Kitchen Staff. This new photo show this man attending to the Berghof kitchen so again I am inclined to identify this man as Vater. Can anyone verify? Maybe someone with contacts with Rochus Misch, might be able to get him to verify, as he would be the only living person that may know conclusively?

Mark Costa

[sinatra1989]

Hi Mark,
I have just asked a contact of mine who will hopefully be visiting Rochus this month to ask him so if I hear back I will certainly let you know.

Kind regards,
Tom.

[Mark Costa]

Tom:

Many thanks. Hopefully Herr Misch will be able to final confirm this man's identity. He seems to have been a prominent member of Hitler's valet staff but has never been ID'd in the many photo archives that I have visited.

Mark

[sinatra1989]

Mark,

I have heard back from my contact who visited Misch on the 4th December weekend. The following is what he said in the email:

"Herr Misch did not remember the man in the photo said because he may of only been there briefly."

I am sorry that I could not help anymore than that. I believe Rochus Misch probably just did not know- if your saying he was a prominent member of staff then Im sure he must have been there for quite some time?

I wish I could have helped some more.
Kind regards,
Tom.

[Mark Costa]

Tom:

Many thanks for your help in trying to identify this man. Please pass along my thanks to your contact as well. We may never know for sure who he was. He was certainly on the staff for many years dating to before the war and always with the valets/waiters or kitchen staff. My hunch is it is indeed Vater but without certain confirmation we may never know. Thanks again for trying. Much appreciated.

Mark Costa

[AlifRafikKhan]

Hi, does someone know what is the Christian name of SA-Obersturmführer Vater?

Thank you in advance...