Help ID German Uniform

Hi! I just received a photocopy of this photo from an elderly friend of my GGUncle. He thought that this was my GGUncle, but the minute I saw this, I knew this was German. My GGUncle married a German girl in 1948, and I do know that her older brother didn't come home from the war. So, I am assuming that this is him. I would appreciate any help in identifying whatever he was in. I just know his name and birthday. Thanks!

 

I'm noticing the Totenkopf. SS?

 

Not Waffen SS. It is an enlisted man's panzer uniform. The Nazi Eagle is the Heere version and on the right breast whereas the Waffen SS eagle has pointed wing ends and would be located on the left sleeve over the corporal's strips. The panzer troops had black wrap around uniforms and they did use the death's head on their lapels and using pink piping. Here is a photo of a Waffen SS panzer uniform



Notice the eagle on the sleeve and on the cap. So the answer to your question is, he was a member of the Army's tank corps.

Hope this helps

 

Can you elaborate on the reasons for panzer troops using the death's head?

 

The totenkopf was an emblem used by the Prussian Hussars. The Panzertruppen being the replacement, carried on its use. It was also used by the stormtroopers in WWI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totenkopf

 

Thanks! I saw the skull and thought "SS", but then thought that it was in the wrong place and seemed to remember that other units did use it. Very interesting about it being the old symbol from the Prussians. A couple more questions, if it isn't a bother!

Any ideas what these three items on his uniform would be for:

- The ribbon at the bottom center that come from under his lapel

- The two diagnol stripe ends that you can just see on his upper left cleeve

- The ribbon on his chest that has what looks like two crossed rifles

Thanks for all the help! I know that his name was Willi Wacker and that he was born 11 Jan 1921. That's all, though.

 

And this why I enjoy this forum. Thanks for the info. I figured the Totenkopf was a staple of the SS.

 

Correct Jeff

Here is the Waffen SS version


Here is the Heere's Panzertruppen

 

I second KJ...great/interesting info...thanks

 

Agreed!

 

With the side by side comparison the Schutzstaffel skull clearly more piercing.

 

It's actually a very widely used symbol. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totenkopf
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/totenkopf.htm

 

Thanks for the links. It seems to have a rich history indeed.

 

Thanks so much for all the info! This is fabulous! I'm new to any military insignia, etc. and German insignia is Greek to me! I appreciate all the help! Now I can add the info to our family tree file. )

 

Hi, again! I just got a letter back from this man's brother (although he is much younger and doesn't remember him) and he said that he fell at Leningrad. I was wondering if there was a way to find out if they would have a record of when or if they buried him up there. I know Leningrad was under siege for two and a half years, but I really don't know anything about German records. Thanks for the help!

 

See if he's listed here.
http://www.volksbund.de/home.html


search page here http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche.html

 

Hi! Thanks for the link. I found him listed and am sitting here at the moment with GoogleTranslate open, reading the page. Many thanks! It says he is an "unteroffizier and died 1 May 1944. Does anyone know what the bottom two lines mean? I can't get it to translate. Is that where he died or what he died of?

Nachname:
Wacker
Vorname:
Wilhelm
Dienstgrad:
Unteroffizier
Geburtsdatum:
11.01.1921
Geburtsort:
Ihringshausen
Todes-/Vermisstendatum:
01.05.1944
Todes-/Vermisstenort:
Mirowiza

Says he is buried in the cemetery at Potylicz / Potelitsch in the Ukraine. Anyone know what battle he was likely in when he died? Thanks for the help!

 

No big battle that I could find. Operation Bagration began on 22 June and Rawa Ruska was behind Soviet lines by this date. My guess would be that he was killed during a retreat. The last two lines could be place of death.