SS soldier between wehrmacht members? (picture attached)

[kriegserinnerungen]

Hi,

I have a picture in my collection where you can see wehrmacht soldiers standing in line, holding their k98. But what's kinda weird to me is that the last guy is a SS soldier. Was this common?

K.D.

[tonyh]

Depends where and why it was taken. It might have been a rush job for a propaganda Kompanie. So it might be a case of the photographer saying "gimme one more snap" and the unteroffizier saying "get that SS manner over there to stand on the end of the line".

They don't look too serious anyway. The second guy from the left looks like he's going to burst out laughing.

Tony

[dirtysanchez84]

I really like this picture!!

[kriegserinnerungen]

The guy you see on the picture on the left was the soldier who took all the photos from which I have now the negatives. (he became sniper later in the war) So it wasn't a PK-picture. But I guess it isn't "normal" to see this SS-lad standing between those wehrmacht comrades...

[Daniel L]

Do you know anything more about the soldier who became a sniper?

Regards

[kriegserinnerungen]

I have tried to gather more information about it but it's not an easy job. There are not many good books about german snipers and i guess there's not much known about them. I have made some scans from this negatives collection and I have some 4 good images from this soldier with his snipergun... If you want I'll try to put one on the forum. Now, yesterday I found out he was in the 251th Infantry division, regiment 471. This Inf. Div. would have been destroyed in november '43. Strangly I have some wintershot from german wintertroops wearing the fieldmutze '43. So these shots must have been taken just before their final hour? I'll put one of these also on the forum...

[Daniel L]

Well, I recommend you to post the picture because that increses the chance of you finding out more about him. Currently I'm researching about german snipers and I can agree that there's not much info on the subject.

regards

[Hans N]

Could it be a Polizei-unit??

Just my 2 cent´s

regards

Hans N

[HPL2008]

Well, quite many Waffen-SS members attended specialized training courses in Wehrmacht installations. I think this photograph was taken at just such an occasion. Judging from the order of dress being worn (long trousers, no support straps etc.) they are apparently not in the field and the entire scene looks like they are practicing presentation grips under instruction by the NCO in front of them.
One more thing: If you look closely at the SS private you can see that he has a piped collar patch. The twisted cord piping on enlisted men's collar patches was officially abolished for the Waffen-SS in May 1940, but even before that date the piping was often omitted on the field uniform; so this photograph was apparently taken before or early on in the war. Since army assistance in the training of SS men seemed most common in the early days of the armed SS units, this too, would help to support the theory of a picture taken during such a training course.
Just my two cents.

[HaEn]

What they seem to be practicing is "Gewehr umhängen", or the Grüne Polizei's version of "Das Gewehr Über". HN

[Zapfenstreich]

HaEn

Am I correct in thinking "Gewehr umhängen!" is the German equivalent of the American command "Sling arms!"? If so, I agree. The movement shown is identical to the American method.

Best regards.
Z

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

What I think is, that htey are training for using their rifles as bows - in case they run out of ammo (sorry, couldn't help it - I'll be quiet now )

Christian