wehrmacht eagle on ss man: why?

[Paul D]

Very true.

People like to see "textbook" items today with everything being regulation issue. A look at period photos will tell another story.

Cheers, Ade.

Exactly Ade , as has been previously stated Soldiers love to buck the rules and ceratinly this sort of thing is not uncommon in contemporary photos

[Paul D]

By the way the photo is of the famous Swords winner SS Brigadefuhrer Otto Kumm , he was awarded the Swords whilst commanding Prinz Eugen.

Kumm was the last Waffen SS General alive.

[panzerjaeger44]

its making it harder isnt it i recall a cammo cloth tent that toenkopf used for jackets with a spider cammo print background however nobody has any but pics were taken of these feild mods

[martinsuper]

I hope no one minds that I add some detail to this photo as Croatian decorations are my favorite!

#1 As for our Prinz Eugen SS Officer with questionable eagle in the foreground. He wears the Star of the 1st Class Order of King Zvonimir with Oak Leaves under his breast pocket. Obviously there is the usual Iron Cross and Wound Badge. Around his neck we see a Knights Cross in the upper position and in the lower position we see the Matching 1st Class Order of King Zvonimir with Oak Leaves that came with the 1st Class Star.

#2 In the back ground, under his Zeig Heiling arm is a Croatian Domobran (Army) Officer. He wears an Iron Trefoil 3rd Class on the button hole.

Croatian Heirarchy of Medals.
4th Class: Worn Austrian style in the medal bar position
3rd Class: Worn on button hole like Iron Cross 2nd class
2nd Class: Worn on breast pocket like Iron Cross 1st class
1st Class: Worn around neck
Star: Worn like German Cross or under left breast pocket if German Cross is also present (as in this picture)
Grand Cross: Worn as a sash around body coming down to where dagger hangers would be exiting pocket.

Swords are for combatants
Oakleaves are for efforts resulting in notable achievements, which can apply to bravery or merit.

I will post clearer pictures of these orders.

[martinsuper]

Here is the Zvonimir 1st Class with Star.

Also the Iron Trefoil 3rd Class.

If anyone wants more information/identification of Croatian Medals, please let me know.

-Martin

[wwmilitaria]

Yep, but I think textbook items are better to sell than non-regulation pieces, because "textbook" is derived from regulation pattern...which was then the rule rather than the exception. Which means that the chances of something authentic having survived the war being textbook is higher than being non-regulation.
In this case it may have been more of a fashionable modification than the result of "shortages". Since a general officer of the Waffen-SS in that early stage of the war (see his collar tabs) should have had no problem obtaining a regulation eagle.

[Adrian Stevenson]

It is worth having a look at this thread here, where an original Waffen SS tunic has been shown complete with Heer pattern eagle:

WW2 SS uniform?

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian]

Very true.

People like to see "textbook" items today with everything being regulation issue. A look at period photos will tell another story.

Cheers, Ade.

This happens today as well. I wear a uniform to work, there are regulations governing the wearing of it. Do I follow them? No!
I wear privately purchased combat trousers, wear epaulettes on the 'wrong' jacket, wear collar badges on my epaulettes, have a non regulation belt keeping my trousers up, the list goes on!
It's the same with my head wear, I have a visor cap and a beret. If I get a new one of either I remove the issued badge that comes with it and retain my worn original badge. I've even changed the chinstrap from a flimsy plastic thing to a more substantial and better looking one.
If I do this today - and I know I'm not the only one - it stands to reason that soldiers back in the day would do the same. We see examples of it time and time again. A jacket with the wrong insignia, a cap with replaced badges doesn't mean alot, as long as the parts are all period each item should be evaluated on it's own merits.
And there is photographic evidence as above to prove it.

[panzerjaeger44]

yeah i always modified my unifrom gotta have the brass cap badge on the beret ofr a cloth one not tht ghastly staybrite crap even carried a south african chest rig as we weere still on the dreaded 58 pattern stuff

[martinsuper]

I work for the Sheriff's Department Marine Division (kinda like the WSP in WW2) and bought my own BDU pants because the issued ones are so lousy. Then we all bought our own gun belts, then sidearms, etc... I think the only thing original anymore is our patches and badges.