I need help with this photo

[xedos6]

Hi Guys!

I bought a Dienstglas case, and a photo came inside it from it's original owner!
The seller told me he is a father of two sons. One of them was a Kriegsmarine soldier, and the other served in the Russian front. On the picture there is their father and the original owner of my binocular case.

I have some questions about him:
-When was the picture taken probably? (About 1936-1940??)
-What kind of rank does he have?
-What kind of ribbons does he received? (Upper left pocket on his coat)
-Which unit did he served? (Maybe i can see spurs on his boots?! Cavalry?)
-Which soldiers received that kind of dagger?

Thanks for any help!

[HPL2008]

I'm afraid not much can be told from the photograph...

This man served with the Heer [army]. He was definitely an officer (below general officer grade), but his exact rank cannot be told from his photograph, as the shoulder boards are not visible clear enough.

The dagger was authorized for all officers. It was introduced in 1935, so the photograph was not taken before that date, but otherwise there is little to help date it. 1936 to 1940 is certainly possible.

Breeches, too, were authorized for all officers, and the spurs do not necessarily mean he was with a mounted unit, either; they were worn by officers for off-duty riding (and even for walking out) as well. The branch color pipings on his cap appear to be of a light color which may or may not be cavalry yellow. (They could just as well be infantry white.)

The ribbon bar is not clear enough to positively identify the individual decorations.

[xedos6]

That was awesome HPL2008! Thank you very much! I knew that he's a Heer officer, the other things that you wrote down very well was important for me :-)

One more thing! The binocular case as I saw on the internet, an "ersatz" one. So, it's very possible as you said an off-duty situation.

(Further helps are accepted.)

[GoodOldGermany]

Its a binocular case of Wehrmacht for a Carl Zeiss binocular.

[xedos6]

There isn't any maker marking inside or outside the case like other Zeiss case models I saw on the internet. No WaA, nothing.. It could be Zeiss, I don't know (I think this case was the oberleutnant's private binocular case.)

This is the only two "marking" I found. One of is from it's back, and the other is from the sling-end:

[GoodOldGermany]

Hi again, i found a similar case in the German book "Der Infanterist des deutschen Heeres" on page 166. Its a very early model, made of black core leather. I think the markings are for workers, who put the parts in the factory together. The fasteners are typical for Wehrmacht, so im very sure, that its a Wehrmacht product. Later models were brown and had loops on the backside for belt buckles. Yesterday I saw your case on Ebay. Same look like yours with marking "Carl Zeiss" Jena. Zeiss had different factory locations during the WW2. A big one was in Jena in Thüringen. Many forced laborers worked there. Im very sure, that it must be a Zeiss product. Regards from Germany

[xedos6]

Hello!
Thank you for your answer. Someone told me that this case is a civilian model, not an army one. BUT! I think like you that it's a Heer model, because the photo of the oberleutnant (the original owner) was inside the case when it was found in Dresden. You mentioned "very early model" - Wehrmacht was from 1935, so this case probably made in 1935 between 1940 I mostly think. Or in the Reichwehr era?! Not sure.
I only have a huge problem with this case... I bought it for my early Busch 6x30 Dienstglas (probably made in 1935-1938 roughly identified from serial number), and it doesn't fit inside this case, I can't close down the lid when it's inside. If the case would taller about 8-9 mm, it would be perfect I started to think about the case, that what kind of binocular fits inside, if a regular 6x30 Dienstglas not...
Best regards from Hungary

[GoodOldGermany]

Hi, can you upload a photo of the binocular? Maybe I can help you then, im not sure, but I think I know the answer, why it dosent fit. A picture will help...

[xedos6]

Here you go! The problem is inside... I lined it on the picture

[GoodOldGermany]

In my book is a note, that some binoculars of Busch dont fit in the standard case for 6 x 30 binoculars. The Germans produced a spezial case for these binoculars made of "Press-Stoff" (pressed material). These binocular cases were bigger and I think your binocular will fit then.