Hi!
Could someone quickly tell me the rank and whatever else you can deduce from the uniforms in this picture:
http://www.deathcamps.org/sobibor/pic/bigp20.jpg. The photo is of Globocnik at the Sobibór station. I'm especially interested whether we can have a positive id on the police officer next to Globus. I think that it might be Reichleitner but I'd like to know your opinions. Pinpointing the date would be nice as well, if possible.
Uniform question - Police Officer in Sobibór
Globocnik
This picture was almost certainly not taken at Sobibor.
The railroad from Chelm via Sobibor station to Wlodawa was only single track during the war.
That the two buildings next to the track look like Sobibor is recognizable because they
look like a lot of station buildings built by railroad companies to a similar design across
the country.
Next Globocnik - to my eyes the collar patches do not seem to suggest those of a
SS-Brigadeführer (Globocnik promoted to this rank on 9 November 1939). So if they
are those of a SS-Oberführer (to which Globocnik was promoted on 25 July 1938)
then the photo was actually taken before 9 November 1939 and could not have been
at Sobibor.
Steve
The railroad from Chelm via Sobibor station to Wlodawa was only single track during the war.
That the two buildings next to the track look like Sobibor is recognizable because they
look like a lot of station buildings built by railroad companies to a similar design across
the country.
Next Globocnik - to my eyes the collar patches do not seem to suggest those of a
SS-Brigadeführer (Globocnik promoted to this rank on 9 November 1939). So if they
are those of a SS-Oberführer (to which Globocnik was promoted on 25 July 1938)
then the photo was actually taken before 9 November 1939 and could not have been
at Sobibor.
Steve
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Max Williams
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- Location: South UK
Re: Globocnik
Sorry, Steve, but I disagree.steve248 wrote:This picture was almost certainly not taken at Sobibor.
The railroad from Chelm via Sobibor station to Wlodawa was only single track during the war.
That the two buildings next to the track look like Sobibor is recognizable because they
look like a lot of station buildings built by railroad companies to a similar design across
the country.
Next Globocnik - to my eyes the collar patches do not seem to suggest those of a
SS-Brigadeführer (Globocnik promoted to this rank on 9 November 1939). So if they
are those of a SS-Oberführer (to which Globocnik was promoted on 25 July 1938)
then the photo was actually taken before 9 November 1939 and could not have been
at Sobibor.
Steve
The photo is definitely Sobibor station. Although the main track was a single line, at the station (and camp) there were several spurs (one of which led directly into the camp). I have a photo of the station showing the buildings from the opposite direction. Several tracks are evident. This can also be seen in the book "Escape From Sobibor".
Globocnik appears to be wearing SS-Brigadeführer rank insignia, albeit the star (probably metal so not as bright as silver thread) is positioned towards the top of the patch. I have other photos of Globocnik wearing such collar patches.
The man second from left is Ernst Lerch as Harmel correctly identifies. Unfortunately, I don't know the others.
Max.
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Matt Gibbs
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- Location: United Kingdom
- Contact:
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Max Williams
- Member
- Posts: 11158
- Joined: 04 Feb 2003, 17:57
- Location: South UK
Matt,Matt Gibbs wrote:The 2 overgrown tracks in the foreground are clearly not main running lines and must be sidings. The 2 tracks at the back of the photo must be the main track and a passing loop line in the station for running around locomotives and trains. Gosh, how useful it is to work on the railways
Matt Gibbs
I didn't realise you were a Thomas the Tank Engine expert!
Max.
Sobibor
When in doubt ask an expert, so I got in touch with Mike Tregenza now resident in Poland.
The photo is of Sobibor but probably taken in the autumn 1941 before Sobibor camp was built.
In the left background, where a child is sat on a pony, is where the camp fence would be
later erected. Where the big rail wagon can be seen, behind Globocnik, is where the ramp
was later built.
The group:
first left, Max Chichotzki (later called Max Runhof; died Wiesbaden ca 2000)
second left, Lerch
police officer between Lerch and Globocnik, unknown
and on the right, Globocnik.
The photo is of Sobibor but probably taken in the autumn 1941 before Sobibor camp was built.
In the left background, where a child is sat on a pony, is where the camp fence would be
later erected. Where the big rail wagon can be seen, behind Globocnik, is where the ramp
was later built.
The group:
first left, Max Chichotzki (later called Max Runhof; died Wiesbaden ca 2000)
second left, Lerch
police officer between Lerch and Globocnik, unknown
and on the right, Globocnik.
Re: Sobibor
any further information on Chichotzki/Runhof - why did he change his name? he isn't listed on the Sobibor camp staff at the Aktion Reinhard site???steve248 wrote: The group:
first left, Max Chichotzki (later called Max Runhof; died Wiesbaden ca 2000)
second left, Lerch
police officer between Lerch and Globocnik, unknown
and on the right, Globocnik.