Uniform ID question

[hoot72]

This image is taken from the HBO drama "Conspiracy."

Conspiracy is a BBC/HBO television film which dramatizes the 1942 Wannsee Conference. The film delves into the psychology of Nazi officials involved in the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" during World War II.

The movie was written by Loring Mandel, directed by Frank Pierson, and starred an ensemble cast, including Colin Firth, David Threlfall, Kenneth Branagh as Reinhard Heydrich and Stanley Tucci as Adolf Eichmann. Branagh won an Emmy Award for Best Actor, and Tucci was awarded a Golden Globe for his supporting role as Eichmann.

My question relates to the collar tab on a lot of the characters in the film. The right collar tabs are blacked out either on purpose or because the tabs were removed. I don't see SS tabs on a number of the uniforms.

Was this normal or could it be that SS logos are not allowed on a HBO drama? Or censorship? I just noticed this on the version of the film i downloaded recently.

[Arto O]

Hi hoot72,
They were members of Sicherheitsdienst (SD) or Sicherheitspolizei (SIPO) and the right collar patch was blank/empty.
with best regards
Arto

[Kriegsmarine Großadmiral]

What kind of uniform and what rank is it? Franz Ritter von Epp wearing it.

[von thoma]

He is wearing a Waffenrock tunic.
As old commander of a Bavarian Infantry Regiment, wears specials Litzen.
The visor cap and trousers retains his rank of General.
A Freikorps badge is also visible on left arm.

[HPL2008]

What von Thoma said. Just allow me to elaborate a little:

Apointing a general or field marshal as the honorary commander of a regiment was a special honor and had a long tradition dating back to the 18th century.

As an outward sign of this honor, a general or field marshal holding such an honorary appointment had the option of wearing either:

a) The standard uniform of his rank with his regiment's number on his shoulder boards and shoulder board underlay in his regiment's branch color (instead of the bright red normally worn by general officers). All other badges and distinctions for general officers (collar- and sleeve patches, gold buttons and cap cords, bright red pipings, trouser stripes and greatcoat lapel facings) were retained.

or

b) Shoulder boards as described above; also collar- and sleeve patches, buttons and cap- and tunic pipings as for non-general officers of his regiment. The general officer distinctions of gold cap cords and bright red greatcoat lapel facings and trouser stripes were retained.

Von Epp - as honorary commander of Infanterieregiment 61 - went for the latter option and is wearing infantry white branch color etc., as did Gerd von Rundstedt when he was made honorary commander of Infanterieregiment 18.

The other honorary regimental commanders of the Third Reich period were: Generalfeldmarschall August von Mackensen (Kavallerieregiment 5), Generaloberst Hans von Seeckt (Infanterieregiment 67), Generalfeldmarschall Werner von Blomberg (Infanterieregiment 73) and Generaloberst Frhr. Werner von Fritsch (Artillerieregiment 12).

[Kriegsmarine Großadmiral]

Thank you von thoma and HPL2008 for the explanation.

[von thoma]

I am lost with this german uniform....
Can you help me ?
Thanks !

[Mark Costa]

Hard to say without seeing the actual uniform under the overcoat, but I have seen similar SA uniforms like this one in General Govt in Poland.

Mark Costa

[SICHERHEITDIENST]

Has anyone else noticed the errors in the movie 'A Bridge Too Far' as regards the rank collar patches for BITTRICH and LUDWIG? They are the old style SS rank patches, superseded and redesigned when the new rank of SS - Oberst Gruppenfuhrer { Colonel General eq } was introduced. The movie is set in 1944 and the officers should have been wearing the new 'arrow head' style SS patches.

I also have noticed 'lampassen' stripes on the trousers of SS Generals in many movies. I do not believe these stripes were used by the SS.

[von thoma]

I also have noticed 'lampassen' stripes on the trousers of SS Generals in many movies.

Yes, Peter O'Toole in "The Night of the Generals".

I do not believe these stripes were used by the SS

There are few examples....

SS Lampassen.jpg (50.21 KiB) Viewed 11384 times

[HPL2008]

I do not believe these stripes were used by the SS

There are few examples....

Actually, Wünnenberg (as seen above) is the only example for an SS general wearing Lampassen that I am aware of.

[warzone]

This is a relative of mine. I know that he was an Oberst during WW2 but I have no idea what unit or so. My aunt said it was possible that he worked with POWs. He fought in WW1 in an artillery regiment.

Can someone please tell me what anything about the insignias and uniform? Is this indeed an Oberst uniform? What unit is this? what are those medals? the "cross with swords" is from WW1?

I have a very vague one of him where he's wearing an iron cross on his chest. Why is he not wearing it here?

Thank you.

Screen Shot 2017-08-11 at 1.28.57 AM.png (423.01 KiB) Viewed 11312 times

[von thoma]

Hello warzone:

He is wearing a Heer officer uniform, maybe Leutnant or Oberleutnant rank, according his visible shoulder board.
A War Merit Cross * with swords 1st class, and a WW I Wound Badge 3rd class are on his left breast.
The ribbon bar over the pocket concentrates his other decorations ( Including its Iron Cross ).
The light piping colour in the top of peaked cap, suggests a Infantry branch service.
The strap of a binoculars case appears on his left shoulder-
I can't give you more info.

* WWII decoration.

[john_g_kearney]

Here are two photographs of the same driver and his Organisation Todt Ford truck. Note that he is wearing a different field cap in each case, presumably an everyday cap and one for walking out. Any thoughts please on which oganisation's uniform he is wearing? (If it was Organisation Todt, would not a badge bearing 'OT' appear somewhere?)

John.

OT 002.jpg (148.29 KiB) Viewed 11188 times

[John G.]

John,
First picture looks like he's wearing unadorned (no insignia) "Mechanic's coveralls" with an O.T. overseas cap. In the 2nd picture he's wearing the "walking out" version of the NSKK uniform, black bat wing pants, "jack boots", etc.... rank appears to be NSKK Sturmmann, and he's wearing the NSKK style overseas cap.

Interesting that both pictures show the same truck plate #IIIY 3640.
John G.