Large photo lot Including SS photos

[Ryan B]

Hey guys, well this was my photo lot from the fair. The guy had original 700+ photos in a box and these were the ones that i had time to pick out. I payed 40$ for the lot, also could someone please help me with the translation on some of these photos.
Thanks
Ryan

[Adrian Stevenson]

Nice images! I think you did well.

Cheers, Ade.

[Ryan B]

Thanks Ade! I know its kinda hard to see but the first photo has the SS runes (the printer did a bad scan) and the second photo has the Totenkopf collar tab.
Thanks
Ryan

[Jerry B]

Great score and the nco in the first pic with the runes is der speiss, the oldest nco in the unit, though I have never been quite sure if that means he has served in the unit the longest or is actually the oldest in age.

[dramos]

Awesome pictures Ryan. Did the guy have any photos of an SA member?

[Ryan B]

Yes i did a lot doug, I only had a certain amount of time though which sucked.
Ryan

[dramos]

aw man! I have been wanting to add a legit photo to go with my daggers for a while. One day maybe lol

[Paul D]

THe Spiess (Spear ) was one of the most experienced Senior NCO's in the Kompanie but not necessarily the oldest in age !! This was an honoury title within the unit and the sleeve tress would be given up once he was no longer the Spiess.

[HPL2008]

The caption on the reverse side of the Spieß' photo says:

"Zu stehtem* Andenken
von Deinem Freund
Willy [...]**
SS-Unterscharf. u. Stabsscha.***"

...i.e.:

"As a constant memory
from your friend
Willy [...]
SS-Unterscharf. u. Stabsscha."

*) misspelt; should be "stetem"
**) Sorry, can't quite make out the name.
***) See below.


The universally known and commonly used - but colloquial - term Spieß referred to the NCO holding the duty position that was officially known as Stabsscharführer in the SS (or Hauptfeldwebel in the Heer and Luftwaffe). This was a company's senior NCO. (Unless I am mistaken, the British equivalent would be a Company Sergeant Major.)

"Senior", however, does neither mean the oldest nor the longest-serving, but refers to the status and responsibilities of the duty position.

In the SS, this duty position was normally held by an NCO of one of the two highest SNCO ranks, i.e. Hauptscharführer or Sturmscharführer. Only then was the holder of said duty position officially designated as Stabsscharführer.
In wartime, lower-ranked NCOs would also be assigned to this duty postion, in which case they were properly referred to as Stabsscharführerdiensttuer [i.e. "acting Stabsscharführer"] [Note to non-German speakers: I dare you to say Stabsscharführerdiensttuer three times in a row without a slip of the tongue! ]

This was the case with the man in the photograph: He is a humble Unterscharführer, i.e. the lowest JNCO rank.

As has been said above, the Spieß was clearly identified by the twin rings of sleeve Tresse, but the notebook tucked into the tunic front - as seen in this photograph - was almost as important a sign of this duty position.

Oh, and the other two captions say: "Bruder Wilil" = "Brother Willi" and "Rußland 1942" = "Russia 1942".

[Paul D]

The caption on the reverse side of the Spieß' photo says:

"Zu stehtem* Andenken
von Deinem Freund
Willy [...]**
SS-Unterscharf. u. Stabsscha.***"

...i.e.:

"As a constant memory
from your friend
Willy [...]
SS-Unterscharf. u. Stabsscha."

*) misspelt; should be "stetem"
**) Sorry, can't quite make out the name.
***) See below.


The universally known and commonly used - but colloquial - term Spieß referred to the NCO holding the duty position that was officially known as Stabsscharführer in the SS (or Hauptfeldwebel in the Heer and Luftwaffe). This was a company's senior NCO. (Unless I am mistaken, the British equivalent would be a Company Sergeant Major.)

"Senior", however, does neither mean the oldest nor the longest-serving, but refers to the status and responsibilities of the duty position.

In the SS, this duty position was normally held by an NCO of one of the two highest SNCO ranks, i.e. Hauptscharführer or Sturmscharführer. Only then was the holder of said duty position officially designated as Stabsscharführer.
In wartime, lower-ranked NCOs would also be assigned to this duty postion, in which case they were properly referred to as Stabsscharführerdiensttuer [i.e. "acting Stabsscharführer"] [Note to non-German speakers: I dare you to say Stabsscharführerdiensttuer three times in a row without a slip of the tongue! ]

This was the case with the man in the photograph: He is a humble Unterscharführer, i.e. the lowest JNCO rank.

As has been said above, the Spieß was clearly identified by the twin rings of sleeve Tresse, but the notebook tucked into the tunic front - as seen in this photograph - was almost as important a sign of this duty position.

Oh, and the other two captions say: "Bruder Wilil" = "Brother Willi" and "Rußland 1942" = "Russia 1942".

Thanks Andreas i tried to say it 3 times and failed you are correct a real tongue twister !!