Sepp Dietrich photos-date???

[Panzermeyer]

Hello folks,

I got some nice photos of Dietrich and I need your help about the dates.

Dietrich and Hitler- I think that it could be July, 4th 1940 when Dietrich received the Knight´s Cross?!
I got another picture of Dietrich when he was returning from FHQ with his freshly Knight´s Cross.




Great photo of Günsche, Witt, Dietrich, Wisch and Wünsche
Should be around late 1943-but I´m not sure about the date and the place.




Photo of Witt, Schuch, Dietrich, Meyer, Wünsche
Could be around same timeline as the photo above- have a look at Dietrich´s tank uniform.





Hope you guys can help me

regards

[Wagriff]

For a Little squirt, he sure managed to cause enough trouble....And, yes- I think that your estimate is likely correct-when Hitler awarded him his RK.

[HPL2008]

The two group photographs can be dated to a timeframe from February to April 1944:

• Theodor Wisch has the collar patches for a Brigadeführer. He was promoted to this rank on 30th January 1944. He can also be seen to wear the Oak Leaves on his Knight's Cross; he was awarded those on 12th February 1944.
• Fritz Witt is wearing the rank insignia of an Oberführer. He was promoted to this rank on 1st July 1943 and to Brigadeführer on 20th April 1944.
• Otto Günsche is wearing the rank insignia for an Obersturmführer. He was promoted to this rank on 20th April 1943 and to Hauptsturmführer on 20th April 1944.
• Max Wünsche is wearing the rank insignia for an Obersturmbannführer. He was promoted to this rank on 30th January 1944.

The second group photograph may have been taken around the same time as the first one, but definitely not on the same occasion. (Note the decorations worn by Dietrich and Wünsche.)


As for the Dietrich/Hitler photograph: Yes; it could be during the awards ceremony for his Knight's Cross. In any case, we can safely date it to the late October 1939 to July 1940 period, as Dietrich is already wearing the clasp to his EK1 (awarded 27th October 1939), but not yet his Knight's Cross (awarded 5th July 1940).

However, I do wonder about the lights around Dietrich's head and whether this could be a Christmas tree in the background. (In which case, the photograph would have been taken around Christmas 1939.)

[Paul D]

The second group photo was taken jsut prior to the Inavasion , will have to check my records for the exact date !

[Paul D]

Second one was in May 1944 at the Chateau de Broglie in Normandie during a visit by Artur Axmann , the officer second from left is SS Hauptsturmfuhrer Albert Schuch.

[Panzermeyer]

The two group photographs can be dated to a timeframe from February to April 1944:

• Theodor Wisch has the collar patches for a Brigadeführer. He was promoted to this rank on 30th January 1944. He can also be seen to wear the Oak Leaves on his Knight's Cross; he was awarded those on 12th February 1944.
• Fritz Witt is wearing the rank insignia of an Oberführer. He was promoted to this rank on 1st July 1943 and to Brigadeführer on 20th April 1944.
• Otto Günsche is wearing the rank insignia for an Obersturmführer. He was promoted to this rank on 20th April 1943 and to Haupsturmführer on 20th April 1944.
• Max Wünsche is wearing the rank insignia for an Obersturmbannführer. He was promoted to this rank on 30th January 1944.

The second group photograph may have been taken around the same time as the first one, but definitely not on the same occasion. (Note the decorations worn by Dietrich and Wünsche.)


As for the Dietrich/Hitler photograph: Yes; it could be during the awards ceremony for his Knight's Cross. In any case, we can safely date it to the late October 1939 to July 1940 period, as Dietrich is already wearing the clasp to his EK1 (awarded 27th October 1939), but not yet his Knight's Cross (awarded 5th July 1940).

However, I do wonder about the lights around Dietrich's head and whether this could be a Christmas tree in the background. (In wich case, the photograph would have been taken around Christmas 1939.)

Yes, you are right- I never really realized these lights. Should scan it again in a higher resolution...

By the way guys- thank you so much for helping!!