SS ID Quiz
Re: SS ID Quiz
I thought the only Reichsführer-SS to survive WWII was Joseph Berchtold, who died at age 65 I believe.
Re: SS ID Quiz
Hilmar Gutgesell
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Re: SS ID Quiz
Sorry Steve, no.
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Re: SS ID Quiz
I thought this one might prove a little difficult. Steve was on the right track...he was attached to Himmler's personal staff whilst a member of SS-WVHA. A deputy of Sepp Tiefenbacher, SS-Hauptsturmführer Ludwig Pemsel was given responsibility for Sonderzug Heinrich and Sonderzug Steiermark. He fell into British hands and was held in Fallingbostel before transferring to Darmstadt and Dachau, from where he was released in 1948. He died in 2003.
Anyone can take the next turn.
Max.
Anyone can take the next turn.
Max.
Re: SS ID Quiz
An easier one this time. I wish it was in better resolution for you.
Re: SS ID Quiz
It is Lerch.
Michal
Michal
Re: SS ID Quiz
Yes, very quick goofy. At the memorial service for the SS personnel killed in the Sobibor uprising. Also shown, Hering, Allers, and Blankenburg. Your turn.
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Re: SS ID Quiz
That would be a very unique view of Oswald Pohl.
In captivity, I presume?
Or maybe just after he was discovered/captured-- working as a farmhand, if memory serves.
~ Mike
In captivity, I presume?
Or maybe just after he was discovered/captured-- working as a farmhand, if memory serves.
~ Mike
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Re: SS ID Quiz
This is NOT Ernst Lerch. The photo shows a SS-Hauptsturmführer, but Lerch had already held the rank of SS-Sturmbannführer for over a year by the date of this funeral ceremony. Also, if you look closely, the only resemblance to Lerch are the spectacles. It doesn't even look like him. The ID made by the Stuttgart University for the Niemann Collection was a supposition and it is incorrect.
Max.
Re: SS ID Quiz
Max,
Do you have a theory as to who it is? Perhaps you should contact Stuttgart University or the USHMM and present them with your research, in order to help set the historical record straight.
Do you have a theory as to who it is? Perhaps you should contact Stuttgart University or the USHMM and present them with your research, in order to help set the historical record straight.
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Re: SS ID Quiz
I've had several SS historians agree with my observation, now including Mike Miller the original poster. Unfortunately, the Hauptsturmerführer's true identity eludes us, but I'm sure we can get there eventually. Until then, there isn't much point in advising the Stuttgart University of their mistake.
As for the quiz status, I believe Mike should continue to take his turn, unless there are any major objections.
Max.
As for the quiz status, I believe Mike should continue to take his turn, unless there are any major objections.
Max.
- Michael Miller
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Re: SS ID Quiz
There are a number of reasons- beyond the lack of physical resemblance- that it cannot be Lerch.
1. Lerch was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer on 20 July 1942. This photo was taken over a year later and the unidentified man wears the insignia of an SS-Hauptsturmführer.
2. The unidentified man wears, in addition to the EK 2 ribbon, the ribbon of the Medaille "Winterschlacht 1941/42" (Ostmedaille), a decoration to which Lerch was not entitled. Although he may have received the EK2 while assigned to HSSPF in OZAK (he certainly received the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz on 17 October 1944, per a letter he signed on 23 December 1944 [in his SS-Personalakte]), I don't believe he would have held it in 1943. In a photo with Globocnik (attached), taken in Trieste in late-1944 or early 1945, it appears he may wear the ribbon for the EK 2 (black/white/red/white/black); in the photo, he also wears the aforementioned wound badge as well as the KVK I m. Schw.
I have only 20 pages of his SS file, and they only reference award of the KVK I & II (both mit Schwertern); he received the KVK I m. Schw. with effect from 1 September 1943. He did serve as a Gefreiter in a Panzer-Abwehr unit before and during the Polish Campaign, but there's no mention in the documents I've seen of any awards received for that service.
3. I can't make out the badges worn by the unidentified man, but he appears to wear an army assault badge of some kind- possibly the Panzerkampfabzeichen. Lerch received no such award.
4. Lerch was a recipient of the Ehrenwinkel für alte Kämpfer, and at least one photo (below) shows him wearing it. The unidentified SS-Hstuf. does not wear it.
Best wishes,
~ Mike
1. Lerch was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer on 20 July 1942. This photo was taken over a year later and the unidentified man wears the insignia of an SS-Hauptsturmführer.
2. The unidentified man wears, in addition to the EK 2 ribbon, the ribbon of the Medaille "Winterschlacht 1941/42" (Ostmedaille), a decoration to which Lerch was not entitled. Although he may have received the EK2 while assigned to HSSPF in OZAK (he certainly received the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz on 17 October 1944, per a letter he signed on 23 December 1944 [in his SS-Personalakte]), I don't believe he would have held it in 1943. In a photo with Globocnik (attached), taken in Trieste in late-1944 or early 1945, it appears he may wear the ribbon for the EK 2 (black/white/red/white/black); in the photo, he also wears the aforementioned wound badge as well as the KVK I m. Schw.
I have only 20 pages of his SS file, and they only reference award of the KVK I & II (both mit Schwertern); he received the KVK I m. Schw. with effect from 1 September 1943. He did serve as a Gefreiter in a Panzer-Abwehr unit before and during the Polish Campaign, but there's no mention in the documents I've seen of any awards received for that service.
3. I can't make out the badges worn by the unidentified man, but he appears to wear an army assault badge of some kind- possibly the Panzerkampfabzeichen. Lerch received no such award.
4. Lerch was a recipient of the Ehrenwinkel für alte Kämpfer, and at least one photo (below) shows him wearing it. The unidentified SS-Hstuf. does not wear it.
Best wishes,
~ Mike
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Re: SS ID Quiz
Thank you, Max.Max Williams wrote: ↑07 May 2020, 17:29I've had several SS historians agree with my observation, now including Mike Miller the original poster. Unfortunately, the Hauptsturmerführer's true identity eludes us, but I'm sure we can get there eventually. Until then, there isn't much point in advising the Stuttgart University of their mistake.
As for the quiz status, I believe Mike should continue to take his turn, unless there are any major objections.
Max.
Just to clarify, I'm not the original poster of the photo.
~ Mike