There are numerous photographs from World War Two that are very well known as they have been reprinted in books and magazines time and time again until they are easily recognized. This particular photograph is one of those. Taken in the city of Weywertz, Belgium on January 15, 1945 by SGT Bill Augustine who was with the 16th. Infantry Regiment, 1st. Infantry Division, the photograph is of a Luftwaffe Obergefreiter hiding his face from SGT Augustine's camera with his hand. Captions often equate this to the soldier not wanting to be photographed and capture forever his shame at becoming a prisoner of war.
The Obergefreiter, whose rank was equivalent to a Corporal, belonged to the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division (3rd. Parachute Division). Formed in October 1943 near Reims, France, the division's cadre was made up of experienced Fallschirmjägers from the disbanded 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division and it was expected that the unit would be at full strength and trained by February 1944. Despite the Luftwaffe having long ceased airborne operations, some 90% of the men in the division qualified for their Fallschirmschützenabzeichen (Parachutist's Badge) by successfully completing six jumps. The unit was well equipped and by March 1, 1944, it had a total of 15,075 men on strength. Although the division was to be motorized, there was significant difficulty in providing the division with the vehicles it needed to achieve this and even with the commandeering of civilian vehicles, it was never able to attain more than 40% motorization by June 1944. In that month, the division went into action against U.S. forces on June 12, 1944 in the St. Lô area, deployed under II. Fallschirm-Korps. The advance elements of the division had set up positions on Hill 192 which provided the Germans a commanding view of the eastern approaches to St. Lô. The U.S. launched multiple attacks against Hill 192 which the Fallschirmjägers stubbornly repelled inflicting significant casualties on elements of the 38th. Infantry Regiment and the 23rd. Infantry Regiment. So stiff was the Fallschirmjägers resistance that U.S. soldiers started calling a piece of ground near Hill 192 as “Purple Heart Draw”. Nevertheless, the Fallschirmjägers were eventually forced to withdraw from Hill 192 to positions behind St. Lô. In St. Lô proper, elements of 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division punished the 115th. Infantry Regiment of the 29th. Infantry Division but despite the resistance, the unit was withdrawn from St. Lô and the city fell to the Americans on July 19, 1944. Many of the U.S. soldiers held the Fallschirmjägers in high regard and one battalion commander of the 116th. Infantry Regiment, 29th. Infantry Division is quoted as saying: “You know those Germans are the best soldiers I ever saw. They’re smart and they don’t know what the word ‘fear’ means. They come in and they keep coming until they get their job done or you kill them....”
When Operation Cobra kicked off on July 25, 1944, the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division continued to put up a tough fight, as did other elements under II. Fallschirm-Korps, but the onslaught of U.S. forces kept pushing the Fallschirmjägers further and further back. Although the Fallschirmjägers could gain local superiority and halt Allied attacks, overall, they were unable to collectively stem the advance and continually withdrew to new defensive positions. By August 10, 1944, the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a shell of its former self. In addition to the combat, the unit was subjected to aerial bombardment and strafing attacks from fighter-bombers, artillery shelling, and was running low on fuel and ammunition in addition to losing a sizable portion of its heavy weapons. The unit became trapped within the Falaise Pocket and on August 19, the II. Fallschirm-Korps was ordered to break out of the pocket, which it was able to do, escaping into Belgium. From September to October 1944, losses were made up by the transfer of men from three Luftwaffen-Feld-Divisionen (Luftwaffe Field Divisions), the 22nd., 51st., and 53rd. Luftwaffen-Feld-Divisionen into the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division. Elements from the division were involved in the fighting around Arnhem under Kampfgruppe Becker which took place from September 17-26, 1944. The division was committed as a whole during the Ardennes Counteroffensive which commenced on December 16, 1944 where it was attached to Kampfgruppe Peiper. Led by SS-Obersturmbannführer Joachim Peiper, the kampfgruppe fought until December 24, 1944 when it could advance no further and American attacks saw the unit cut off from resupply and so it had to abandon all of its vehicles and retreat into Belgium. Of the 3,000 men in the kampfgruppe which began the counteroffensive, only 717 remained to escape of which some included men from 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
Some colorists of this photograph have chosen to use the goldgelb (golden yellow) color for the rank collar tabs which was the waffenfarb (service color) for parachutists. However, the original photograph appears to show a darker color, likely tiefrot (deep red) which was used by flak (anti-aircraft) and artillery personnel. Thus, he was likely part of 3. Fallschirmjäger Artillery Battalion or 3. Fallschirmjäger Flak Battalion. For decorations, he is wearing the Fallschirmschützenabzeichen in the center of his fliegerbluse with the Sportabzeichen (Sports Badge) to the right of it and the Hitler-Jugend-Abzeichen (Hitler Youth Badge) to the left. Interestingly, the Sportabzeichen, instituted in 1913, can still be earned today. The Hitler-Jugend-Abzeichen was earned for excelling in athletics, field craft, and political indoctrination. He has also received the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) as evidenced by the ribbon through his fliegerbluse's button hole. Over his uniform he is wearing the Luftwaffe Feld-Division Jacke (Luftwaffe Field Division Jacket) in the first Sumpfmuster (literally “marsh pattern“) camouflage pattern. This is identified by the presence of a Luftwaffe splinter pattern (Splittermuster) within the camouflage though the edges are “burred“ rather than left sharp. Today, collectors call this pattern “tan and water“ while others use Luftwaffe-Sumpfmuster to identify the Luftwaffe pattern. The item in his left hand is the belt buckle to his belt.
Of interest is the German sanitäter (medic) seen in the background. He is wearing the Heeres Rotes-Kreuz Hemd für Sanitäter (Army Red Cross Medic Vest) which was widely utilized starting in the summer of 1944. Made of cotton, the vest had a large red cross on the front and back and was tied at the waist by cloth tapes. It made the sanitäter far more conspicuous than the regulation Red Cross brassard which was normally issued and that only fit around the sleeve of the left arm.
Primary Sources:
Davis, Brian L. Uniforms and Insignia of the Luftwaffe, Volume 2: 1940-1945 (London: Arms and Armour Press, 1995)
Windrow, Martin Luftwaffe Airborne and Field Units (London: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1972)
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