(Author's Collection)
A studio portrait of a schütze (private) belonging to the 32. Infanterie-Division. He is wearing the waffenrock (“uniform tunic”) which was a non-combat uniform that was worn for taking part in parades, more formal walking-out dress, and for other military or civil ceremonies and ceremonial duty when formal dress was required. His unit is denoted by the “32” stitched to his schulterklappen (shoulder boards) and what company he was assigned to was given as a number or Roman numeral on the button that secures the shoulder boards to the waffenrock. Unfortunately, this cannot be made out in this photograph. He is wearing the standard enlisted rank schirmmütze (“uniform cap”) which was proscribed for wear in much the same situations as the waffenrock.
The 32. Infanterie-Division was formed on October 1, 1936 and took part in the invasion of Poland, France, and Russia. The division was also tasked for the aborted Operation Sea Lion (Unternehmen Seelöwe), the invasion of the United Kingdom. The division was part of the Courland Pocket and ceased to exist on May 10, 1945 when it and other remnants of various German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket surrendered to the Russians.
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