Glad to read the above. Weitermachen.
Glad to read the above. Weitermachen.
Nice work Tony!
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15th Kompanie, IR17.
The next album was a bit harder to work out as, apart from one picture, there was very little in the way of obvious information or captions to help. Nevertheless looking at the back of pictures can sometimes reap rewards and towards the back I finally found a name for the owner alongside a pretty clear indication of whom he is in the actual picture.
This allows me to proudly introduce Albert Grün who served with 15th kompanie IR17 from 1925 to 1937 (ish).
This is a nice contrast to the officers album as it shows the Reichswehr life as taken through the lens of the ordinary soldier.
As they had to sign up for 12 years service (25 yrs for an officer) then it allows for the development of uniforms to be seen as these men served through the major changes in style, regulations and even as in this case, regimes.
The first picture of the album provides the best info on which regiment as the chalk board on this slap stick studio bit of fun states "15 komp IR 17 and has the arrows pointing to Hannover, the units main base and Goslar, home of the III battalion to which this kompanie belonged.
The guys all wear WW1 tunics either 1910 or 1915 blouses plus the majority wear the einheitfeld mütze 1917 issue. The solier pointing is a decorated veteran and of note is that the driver has no chinstrap on his service cap.
The picture underneath strikes a more serious pose, looks like they mean business.
The unit training grounds were found at Senne and the date shows Albert was in from 1925 onwards. Again WW1 era uniforms predominate.
This is just a nice shot, the advance of the unit appears almost in Napoleonic in look.
Being the 15th kompanie they would have trained with the heavy weapons and the top shot shows the 7.7cm field guns mounted on trucks to give the infantry some extra fire power as the artillery was serverley limted by Versailles Treaty.
Team picture, the ww1 vet in the middle wears what looks like an über rock for a chaplin.
One of the frequent themes in albums of the time is the "day trip" pictures. This one on the ferry is in several other albums and the Army saw part of the soldiers training as understanding their heritage. Trips included the Kaisers summer residence, and visiting famous peoples graves and paying respect to those fallen in the war.
The barracks at Goslar, on parade, at Christmas and no album is complete without a dog !
Spare time on the beach, uniform regulations seem a bit harsh though, nice shorts.
plus Albert making a call, "hello mother , can you hear me ?"
More training, followed by more training................
The money shot...............walking down the Unter den Linden, still a popular past time today............
More parades..........
Here are the Generals who walked the line, circa 1933/34, look at the insignia on their caps, the reichsadler is out, national cockade is back in and this period of time only lasted till 1935 when everybody had to put "the bird" on the top of his hat.
Final shot of our man in the uniform of IR17, Albert is next to Der Speiss and has reached the rank of Feldwebel. He retired shortly after this as his 12 years are up......................
However, here he is in 1939 as a feldwebel but in Lufti blue.............all that training with the heavy weapons meant he was plonked right back in but with 88mm flak, I have added a picture of in 1928 as a comparison.
A series of nice lufti shots with the 88 mm finish the album but we don't know if he survived WW2.
Nearly there now, one album remains to finish the thread.
So far the view has been from an Officer and an NCO, I shall finish with an album of what looks like an officer candidate journey from training to commission.........
cheers
Tony
Super, cool image, this is - what I love so much!
Very characteristic of the 1920s type uniforms.
I would like to discuss this! Where to begin?..
By the way, very rare archives, I do not often come across this! Thank you for publishing these pictures for us. I enjoyed viewing. Reichswehr - my favorite topic. Forward to seeing your comments on.
Hi Hans
Glad you like them, thanks for the positive comments.
what would you like to discuss about "Where to begin ?" For my thoughts, I will eventually try and cover all the period 1919-1933 in some way with period images but some are harder to find than others.
Just a matter of time , patience and money !
cheers
Tony
...Today on eBay - a new picture of your "17.Infanterie-Regiment"! I accidentally discovered it.
This soldier dressed in uniform 30.10.1928 with early Reichsadler mod.17.02.1934.
On the Infanterie shoulder straps - "17" number. Schirmmuetze M.34 in wear.
Last edited by Hans Still; 03-18-2014 at 01:29 PM.
Cheers Hans !
Indeed, always on most shots of 1925-1927 found М.17 caps.
In this period they were basic headgear (I've seen a lot of pics).
And M.15 feldbluse (but sometimes tunic М.17, М.19 and М.20).
Apparently, the soldiers received them from the warehouse (?).
M.21 Feldmuetze was quite rare, and is seen only by Unt~/offic.
By the 1928 - already appears in large quantities uniform М.21.
Now the troops appear uniformity of clothing (almost complete)
(Of course, I also noticed in your collection a lot of RW-muetze)
Hans, Your observations are indeed correct. I reckon the lack of money and raw materials in the early part of the 1920's left the Army with no choice but to re-use and make do.
I see you have the copy of the RW "Bible".................. no book shelf should be without it !
cheers
Tony
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