Artillerie-Panzerbeobachtungswagen III, 75. Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment

Source: Author's collection

     As World War Two continued, the German military utilized more and more self-propelled artillery though such guns were never able to fully replace horse-drawn or those guns drawn by half-tracks or other soft-skinned vehicles. Of course, for artillery of any kind to be truly effective during the war, it required forward observers who would watch the fall of the rounds and radio back corrections to the firing batteries to ensure that as much of the incoming fire was as close to on-target as possible and thus maximize the destruction. These forward observers were often small teams on foot or moved about the battlefield in lightly armored vehicles such as armored cars or light tanks. By 1943, such vehicles had a very limited lifespan. Typically artillery was used defensively to break up an attack or was used on the offense to soften up the enemy prior to committing ground troops. Either way, it meant the forward observers had to be in the vicinity of the action in order to witness the incoming fire missions and correct as needed. Thus, it was seen that something better was needed to support the self-propelled artillery batteries and give forward observers the means to survive the front lines. The initial answer was the Artillerie-Panzerbeobachtungswagen III (PzBeobWg III).

     The Artillery Tank Observation Vehicle III was, in reality, a stop-gap measure which was undertaken to provide such a vehicle while development of a purpose-built armored observation vehicle was conducted (something that did not happen). Using war-weary and obsolete Ausf E through Ausf H models of the Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank, several modifications were done to convert them to their new role. The biggest change was the removal of the main gun armament. In place of the main gun, a Maschínengewehr 34 (MG 34) in a ball mounting was fitted and provided with 1,500 rounds of ammunition. The weight savings by not having a main gun nor the associated shells allowed for the fitting of an additional 30mm of armor plate on the hull front and on the entire rear of the tank. In addition, a new gun mantlet replaced the original, increasing the thickness from 30mm to 50mm. A feature of this mantlet was the addition of a dummy gun fitted to the right of the MG 34. The hull machine-gun was removed and the hole for the machine-gun was fitted with a metal plug. For radio equipment to allow communication back to the battery, the PzBeobWg III was fitted with a Funkgerät 4 (FuG 4) and the FuG 8. The FuG 4 utilized a 2 meter tall star antenna though specifics about it are not well known. The FuG 8 was heavily used for divisional communication with later models using a 30 watt transmitter, MW receiver C, and had a frequency band of 835 to 3,000 kilocycles per second. It used a 8 meter tall mast antenna. The FuG 4 had a much shorter range, with a Wireless Telegraph (WT) range of 2.3 miles and a Radiotelephone (RT) range of 1.2 miles. The FuG 8, on the other hand had a WT range of 31.1 miles and a RT range of 6.2 miles. In all, 262 PzBeobWg III vehicles were constructed between February 1943 to April 1944 and two such vehicles were deployed to each Hummel (“Bumblebee”) or Wespe (“Wasp”) self-propelled gun batteries as supply permitted.

     The photograph was reportedly taken following the German defeat at the hands of the Soviets following Unternehmen Frühlingserwachen (Operation Spring Awakening) in mid-March 1945 near Lake Balaton, Hungary. If this is accurate, then the PzBeobWg III belonged to 75. Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment underneath the III. Panzerkorps, 6. Armee, Heeresgruppe Süd. This unit was equipped with “Wespe“ 10.5cm self-propelled guns on the Panzerkampfwagen II chassis. It is difficult to assess what model the PzBeobWg III shown was built on but given the late date in the war, it is likely an Ausf H version. The crew had secured three links of track to the front of the tank in an effort to increase the protection. Since the hull machine-gun was not fitted, the track covered where it had been but one can see a portion of the track missing to allow the driver to see through his vision block. Just visible are the schürzen (armored skirts) fitted to the turret and hull. The front part of the skirt on the hull can be made out to the right (as one looks at the photograph) of the Soviet soldier. The turret skirt is visible just behind the dummy gun mantlet. These skirts were designed to reduce the velocity or divert the trajectory of incoming kinetic rounds. In the upper, right corner of the photograph is the star antenna for the FuG 4 radio. 

     Of interest, however, is the dummy gun itself. The crew of this PzBeobWg III fashioned an entirely new dummy gun and fit it over the existing one. The likely reason for this is because the standard dummy gun gave the appearance of the far weaker short 5cm KwK L/42 or the 3.7cm KwK L/46.5. By adding the additional wooden mantlet sleeve and the longer wooden barrel with a muzzle brake, it gave the PzBeobWg III the appearance of a Panzerkampfwagen IV fitted with the potent 7.5cm KwK40 L/48 gun. This was made more so by the use of the schürzen which many late-war PzKpfw IV tanks were equipped with. In so doing, the elaborate wooden dummy gun assembly helped the PzBeobWg III blend in more and not be singled out. Of course, the Soviet soldier hefting the broken gun tube for the camera means it didn't make much of a difference for this PzBeobWg III.

Messerschmitt Me 163B V13: Abandoned in Pölzen

Source: U.S. Army Signal Corps

     Found by troops of Combat Command A, 9th. Armored Division, 1st. U.S. Army in April 1945 was the remains of Messerschmitt Me 163B V13, Werk Nummer (W.Nr.) 10022, fuselage code VD+EV. The location was a airfield hangar in Pölzen, Germany located to the northeast of Leipzig. While the men of Combat Command A likely did not know it at the time they came across the ruins of the aircraft, the V13 had been the start of the further development of the Me 163 rocket fighter that ultimately culminated in the Messerschmitt Me 263 (also designated as the Junkers Ju 248).

     One of the most serious problems with the Me 163B rocket interceptor was the ravenous consumption the Walther HWK 509 A-2 bi-fuel rocket motor had for the reactant propellants, T-Stoff and C-Stoff. Once the Me 163B achieved operating altitude, the aircraft had only 2.5 minutes worth of powered flight left before the tanks ran dry. Typically, given the volatile and explosive nature of the fuels, pilots would often exhaust the entire fuel supply rather than risk having fuel onboard while in combat, let alone coming to a landing which risked causing a detonation if the touchdown was rough. In combat operations, it meant that the range of the Me 163B was severely restricted and unless airfields operating the rocket fighter were near known bomber routes, the Me 163B was more or less impotent. In fact, when U.S. Intelligence determined an airfield was housing a Me 163 unit, they advised U.S. Army Air Force bomber units to simply plot bombing strike avenues to avoid the airfield. Another problem with the Me 163B was that is had no landing gear outside of a central skid. It took off atop a two-wheeled dolly which was then jettisoned once the plane was airborne. Upon landing, it had to be recovered by a special trailer pulled by a three-wheeled tractor called a Scheuschlepper. The V13 was the first step in overcoming the first of these two main concerns with the fighter.

     The V13 was the first to trial a new Walther rocket engine, the HWK 509 C. While the fuels were the same, the biggest difference was the addition of a cruise chamber. The HWK 509 C's main chamber produced 3,750 pounds of thrust but the cruise chamber only provided 660 pounds of thrust. The idea was that for take-off, both chambers would be engaged for a total of 4,410 pounds of thrust. Once the aircraft was at operational altitude, the main chamber would be shut off and the aircraft would fly only on the cruise chamber. As such, the new engine provided up to 6.5 minutes of powered flight before the fuel ran out. The V13 was much the same as the standard Me 163B except that the tail was modified to accommodate the cruise chamber which was to be used in the new development of the aircraft which was then called the Me 163D. The first flight of the V13 took place in December 1943 and the last known flight occurred on May 14, 1944. Two other Me 163B aircraft were part of the Me 163D project and these were the V10 (W.Nr. 10019, fuselage code VD+ES) and the V18 (W.Nr. 10027, fuselage code VA+SP). The V10, having originally been used to test a BMW rocket motor and a revised fuel tank system, was repurposed to trial the tricycle landing gear that was to be used on the Me 163D. The V18 was also refitted with a HWK 509 C engine and on July 6, 1944, pilot Rudolf Opitz took the aircraft up for a calibration flight and the engine was at maximum thrust and as it accelerated, the critical Mach number was exceeded. Opitz cut fuel to the engine which put the V18 into a steep dive Optiz was only able to recover feet from the waters of the Baltic Sea. After landing, the entire rudder was missing and readings taken during the flight showed the V18 had attained a speed of 702mph.

     The results of testing with the V10, V13, and V18 culminated in the Ju 248 which was a nearly complete redesign of the Me 163 fighter. The designation Junkers Ju 248 came into play as work on the project was shifted to Junkers in the spring of 1944 in light of the Messerschmitt company's other development work and production obligations. The name would revert to Me 263 by August of 1944. The new aircraft utilized a new fuselage that incorporated a bubble canopy, retractable landing gear, and a HWK 509 C-4 bi-fuel engine which it was estimated would give the Ju 248 a maximum powered endurance of between 9 to 15 minutes altitude depending. While better than the maximum 7.5 minutes of total powered endurance with the Me 163B, it was not a significant increase overall though the ability to be more mobile on the ground lowered the time it took to for ground crews to turn the aircraft around for another sortie. 

     As it was, the Ju 248 V1 was completed and performed well in unpowered, towed testing but it was never flown under power and ended up captured by the Soviets who shipped it back to Russia for study. The Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270 rocket interceptor, first flown in 1946, drew heavily from the Me 263 but the entire concept of a rocket powered, point interceptor was flawed and the I-270 was abandoned.

7.5cm PaK40/2 auf Fgst Pz.Kpfw II (Sf) "Marder II": Demolitioned Outside Rome

Source: U.S. Signal Corps

     Somewhere outside Rome on June 5, 1944, a U.S. soldier from the 5th. Army examines what is left of a German 7.5cm PaK40/2 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sd.Kfz 131) tank destroyer which was, mercifully, simply called the Marder II. The need to both bolster and improve tank destroying capability resulted in two tank destroyers utilizing the chassis of the Panzerkampfwagen II light tank. 

     The first version was designated the Panzer Selbstfahrlafette 1 für 7.62cm PaK36(r) auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf D¹ und D² (Sd.Kfz 132). Sometimes (again, mercifully) known as the LaS 762, this tank destroyer utilized Panzer II ausf. D and E as well as Flammpanzer II (a flamethrower variant of the Panzer II) chassis and mounted a captured Soviet 76.2mm F-22 Model 1930 field gun rechambered to fire the 75mm round used by the potent PaK 40 anti-tank gun. The LaS 762 was a stop-gap design while more purpose-built tank destroyers were designed and put into production. It was characterized by its tall profile and 201 vehicles were converted between April 1942 and June 1943.

     The second version was the Sd.Kfz 131, a more dedicated tank destroyer design, and it used war weary Panzer II ausf. A, B, and C chassis (but would later use factory "fresh" ausf. F chassis). The Marder II had the excellent 75mm PaK 40 gun as its main weapon. All told, 651 Marder II were produced between June 1942 and March 1944 and saw service on all fronts (though the majority were deployed to the Eastern Front). Both the German Army (Heer) and Waffen-SS were heavy users of the Marder II, equipping the panzerjäger abteilungen of panzer divisions. In addition, some Luftwaffe ground forces used the Marder II in their own tank destroyer units.

     The Marder II in the photograph has lost its entire superstructure save the forward portion and the front of the hull has been completely blown out as has the back of the vehicle. Given the extent of the damage and most notably by the burst barrel of the PaK 40, this particular Marder II was destroyed by the crew using demolition charges. This was not too uncommon when the vehicle could not be recovered from whatever circumstance disabled it (mired in the ground, mechanical breakdown, or battle damage) and so blowing the vehicle up denied its use by the enemy.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Avtomat Kalashnikova 47

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

     Somewhere within Ukraine, a soldier of the 93rd. Mechanized Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar” trains with his Avtomat Kalashnikova 47 (AK-47) assault rifle. Development of the AK-47 commenced in 1945 with the first prototypes trialed starting in 1947 and in 1949, the AK-47 was officially accepted for service in the Soviet Army. Production of the AK-47 began in 1948 and it remains in production to this day. Over 100 million AK-47 rifles, of all variants, have been built and the AK-47 has seen combat around the world in just about every conflict...large or small.

     The AK-47 shown here appears to be a Maschinenpistole MPi-K, the designation of the AK-47 in the military of the former Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR; better known as East Germany). This observation is based solely on the shape of the safety lever and the dust cover as the rest of the rifle has been modified. That such a weapon would be in the hands of a Ukrainian soldier is because Germany provided the Ukrainian Army with a small number of AK-47 rifles (73 in all) and it is a possibility these were former DDR weapons that had been kept around in storage.

     Now, the MPi-K utilized plastic handguards, pistol grips, and stocks which were prone to cracking and given the relative age of these weapons, there is a good chance that the reason this soldier's AK-47 has a replacement stock and handguards is because the rifles had been received from Germany with broken hardware which needed replacement.

     The stock looks to be a Czech manufactured FAB Defense GLR-16 CP fixed telescopic stock with adjustable cheek piece. By fixed, it means the stock cannot fold to shorten the length of the weapon. Made of black polymer plastic, the stock's cheek piece can be fully removed if not needed. The original handguards have been replaced with what appears to be a TDI Arms LHV47S handguard set which includes upper and lower handguards equipped with Picatinny (and Weaver compatible) rails. Like the stock, the handguards are high-density polymer materials for strength as well as heat resistance. On the bottom rail of the lower handguard is a folding front pistol grip.

     The typical AK-47 is chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge and the rounds are fed into the AK-47 via a 20-, 30-, or 50-round box magazine. A 30-round magazine is in use here. In addition, a 40- or 75-round drum magazine can be used. The action consists of a gas-operated, long-stroke piston, closed rotating bolt. Cyclic rate of fire is a maximum of 600 rounds per minute with a practical rate of fire being 40 rounds per minute if using semi-automatic fire. Burst fire is around 100 rounds per minute. Sighting is done using iron sights that are adjustable between 100 to 800 meters. Effective range is 350 meters. Without a magazine, the AK-47 weights 7.7 pounds though this soldier's modified weapon is probably lighter. Length, with the regular stock, is 2.9 feet and without a stock, the length is 2.1 feet long.

Remnants of War: Mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen S307(f) mit Reihenwerfer (21. Panzer-Division)

Source: Facebook

     On October 23, 1942, the Allies launched a three part plan under Operations Lightfoot, Bertram, and Braganza which began the Second Battle of El Alamein. Facing the Allies was Panzerarmee Afrika commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel. Included in the order of battle for the Germans was the 21st. Panzer Division (21.Pz.Dv.) and when the Second Battle of El Alamein concluded in an Allied victory on November 11, 1942, 21.Pz.Dv. was a shell of itself with only four total tanks left operational. After fighting rear-guard actions to cover the German retreat, what was left of 21.Pz.Dv. was split into two kampfgruppen (battle groups); Kampfgruppe Pfeiffer and Kampfgruppe Gruen. Following the Battle of Kasserine Pass which occured from February 19 through February 24, 1943, the 21.Pz.Dv. ceased to be when Major General Von Hulsen surrendered the tattered remains of one of the most potent units within the Deutsches Afrikakorps on May 13, 1943.

     Beginning in June 1943, in France, the Germans commenced to organizing a new type of combat unit whose key asset was being highly mobile and thus able to rapidly deploy to locations where they were most needed. In essence, these new units were to be “fire brigades” to be rushed around the front where required in order to bolster the strength of local forces. The first of these units was Schnelle Division West (Fast Division West) and its creation was directly in response to what the Germans knew was coming; the Allied invasion of Europe. Schnelle Division West was to be completely motorized in regards to combat units as well as support units such as artillery and logistical assets. In fact, Schnelle Division West would be more motorized than the standard Heer (Army) panzer division. There was a rather large problem which put a severe crimp in the idea of Schnelle Division West.The problem was that German industry could not supply enough vehicles to equip the division and make the totally mobile force a reality. The Germans were only able to equip a single brigade and so the unit changed names to Schnelle Brigade West. However, the Germans went about the process of scraping together as much armor and vehicles as possible to push the unit to division size. A good part of this process was utilizing captured French tanks and light armored vehicles but the Germans wanted to make these tanks and vehicles more useful and more potent and for that, they called in one Major Alfred Becker.

     Becker, a mechanical engineer by trade, was an artillery officer both in World War One and World War Two. As much of the German artillery forces relied on horses to move their guns and ammunition trains, Becker believed in mobility but being an engineer, he began to convert captured British light tanks and Bren carriers into self-propelled guns and munition carriers while his unit (Infantarie Division 227 "Rheinisch-Westfälische") was on garrison duty in France. Within six months, he and his fellow engineers, mechanics, and metal workers assembled a complete self-propelled gun battery. Soon, Becker and his unit was sent to the Eastern Front as part of Heeresgruppe Nord (Army Group North) and there, his mobile battery proved an immense success to the point it was often used as a “fire brigade” and deployed where it was needed. In order to meet the threat of new Soviet tanks, the T-34 medium tank and the KV-1 heavy tank, Altmärkische Kettenwerk GmbH, better known as Alkett, sent modified French Renault R35 light tanks equipped with the 47mm PaK(t) anti-tank gun to Russia as the 4,7 cm PaK(t) Panzerjäger Geschützwagen 35R(f) tank destroyer. To make a lengthy story more brief, Becker was recalled to Germany and directed to partner with Alkett and formulate a way to repurpose captured tanks and vehicles. After spending a short time in Germany, Becker was sent back to France and given the monumental task of scavenging the French countryside for any and all French and British tanks and armored vehicles, collecting them all, figuring out how to re-purpose them, then produce enough such tanks and vehicles to equip two panzer divisions. And so by June 17, 1943, Baukommando Becker (Construction Unit Becker) was able to supply Schnelle Brigade West with enough additional armored vehicles to restore it to division size. On June 27, 1943, the unit was re-designated as the 21.Pz.Dv. in honor of the original unit and put under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel. Becker himself was put in command of the 21.Pz.Dv.'s assault gun battalion, Panzerjäger-Abteilung 200.

     The remains of the vehicle in the photograph is a French SOMUA MCL half-track which Alkett repurposed as a self-propelled barrage mortar. The long German designation for it was Mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen S307(f) mit Reihenwerfer (Medium Armored Personnel Carrier S307(f) with “Row Thrower”). The Reihenwerfer consisted of sixteen captured French 81mm Brandt Mle 27/31 mortars, known as the Granatwerfer 278(f) (Gr.W 278(f)) in German service, set in a frame with two rows of eight mortar tubes. The entire frame sat on a turntable which allowed for 360 degree rotation and the tubes could be elevated from 35 degrees up to a maximum of 90 degrees. To ensure a wider distribution of rounds on the target, the lower set of tubes had a slight outward angle. In operation, the firing mechanism held a round in the top of each mortar tube and when the gunner pulled the lanyard, the rounds would drop down their respective tubes, strike the firing pin at the bottom of each tube, and then be launched towards the target. A total of 90 rounds of ammunition was available for the mortars and the front of the half-track, cab, and a portion of the rear deck was protected with 12mm thick armor. For self-defense, a MG 34 or MG 42 machine-gun was carried on the vehicle. In all, Alkett produced sixteen of the Reihenwerfer equipped MCL half-tracks and all of them went to 21.Pz.Dv., likely deployed with the Nebelwerfer companies of Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 192 (mot.) and Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 152, these being 10.Kompanie (s-Werfer) and 10.Kompanie (Werfer) respectively.

     The 21.Pz.Dv. was the only armored unit that contested the initial D-Day landing, namely at Juno Beach. Not surprisingly, it bore the brunt of Allied attacks as the U.S. and British/British Commonwealth forces pushed further inland. The unit was bleeding tanks with losses never being completely made up by replacements despite being able to achieve almost a 2 to 1 kill ratio. The last gasp for 21.Pz.Dv. Came when it was nearly wiped out in the Kessel von Falaise, the Falaise Pocket, which was closed by the Allies on August 21, 1944. The remnants were bolstered with the remains of Luftwaffen-Feld-Divisionen 16 and retreated to Lorraine where it was further battered down before its ranks were again increased by absorbing the remains of Panzer-Brigade 112. The unit would participate in the last major German offensive of the war, Unternehmen Nordwind (Operation Nordwind), from December 31, 1944 to January 25, 1945 before being redeployed to the Eastern Front where it was demolished by the Soviets during the Kesselschlacht von Halbe (Battle of Halbe). What was left surrendered to Soviet forces on April 29, 1945.

     It isn't possible from the surviving photographs of this particular S307(f) to tell which regiment it was part of. It was struck at least three times, the penetration on the cab having cracked off a piece of the armor. Exactly where the S307(f) was knocked out or abandoned isn't known but it was likely in the initial area of operations of the 21.Pz.Dv. which was south-east of the city of Caen. Photographs taken of this S307(f) after the combat show that at least five of the mortar tubes were missing from the frame, both tracks were gone, and it even appeared the 4-cylinder engine was removed as it is certainly missing in the photographs. This suggests that it may have been abandoned and what could be salvaged from it was taken. This would mean the shell penetrations were done after, possibly by Allied tankers making sure it was truly disabled. This particular photograph was taken after World War Two ended though what year is unknown. By now, all of the mortar tubes are gone, rust has spread across the Reihenwerfer, chassis, and superstructure, and the Balkenkreuz is nearly washed away. Given the derelict state, in time, it was likely retrieved and taken to the scrap yard to be broken down if it wasn't scrapped where it stood.

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf B (2. Zug, 2. Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 4, 13. Panzer-Division)

Source: Author's collection.

     Somewhere on the Eastern Front, the abandoned remains of a Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf B medium tank slowly sinks into the Russian mud. The photograph was one of many contained in a soldier's personal photo album entitled “Meine Dienstzeit” (“My Service Period”) though who the soldier was and who he served with was not given in the album. The tank belonged to the 2. Zug, 2. Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 4, 13. Panzer-Division. This is denoted by the tactical number 222 on the turret with the third number two denoting it was the second tank in the platoon (Zug). That the tank was with the 13. Panzer-Division is denoted by the circle with the cross on the hull side. It is likely the soldier passed the wreck and snapped a picture of it since there was no other tank pictures in the album.

     Production of the PzKpfw IV Ausf B started in April 1938 and by September 1938, a total of 42 had been produced before it was superseded by the Ausf C model. Built by Krupp-Gruson, the PzKpfw IV Ausf B was powered by a Maybach HL120TR engine connected to a 7-speed gearbox (6 forward, 1 reverse) and was enough to provide the tank with a top road speed of 25mph. Enough fuel was carried to give a maximum operational range of 124 miles. For armament, the tank was fitted with a 7.5cm KwK 37 L/24 gun with a co-axial 7.92mm MG 34 machine-gun. Curiously, the hull mounted MG 13 machine-gun that had been fitted to the previous Ausf A model was removed and replaced with only a visor and a pistol port. 80 total rounds of ammunition was carried for the KwK 37 and was often a mixture of armor piercing (Panzergranate), high-explosive (Sprenggranate), and smoke (Nebelgranate) shells. The machine-gun was provided with 2,400 rounds of belted ammunition. The turret had a 360 degree rotation which was electrically driven (with a manual backup) while the gun had a maximum elevation of 20 degrees and a maximum gun depression of 10 degrees. For protection, the PzKpfw IV Ausf B had 30mm of armor on the turret front at a 10 degree slope, 15mm on the turret sides at a 25 degree slope, and 15mm and no sloping. The gun mantlet added another 30mm of armor to the front of the turret. The superstructure front was 30mm thick at a 7 degree slope, 15mm of armor on the sides with no sloping, and 15mm at the rear with a 10 degree slope. The hull front had 30mm of armor at a 12 degree slope, 15mm on the sides with no sloping, and 15mm thick on the rear at a 10 degree slope. The turret top armor was 10mm thick, the top of the superstructure was 12mm thick, and the underside of the hull was 5mm thick.

     When the 13. Panzer-Division, under the command of Generalleutnant Walter Düvert, went into Russia on June 22, 1941, it had twenty PzKpfw IV tanks on hand in various makes out of an authorized strength of twenty-eight. A little over a month later, a report dated August 28, 1941 listed only nine tanks left operational with another ten being completely written off. The division was under the 1. Panzerarmee, Heeresgruppe Süd and saw considerable action during the Battle of Kiev which took place from August 23, 1941 to September 26, 1941. Although it was a significant defeat for the Russians, the Germans still suffered 61,239 casualties and would account for the August report on medium tank strength for the division. Of the PzKpfw III medium tanks the division had, prior to combat, the authorized strength was seventy-one tanks of which the division had its full allotment. But after the initial battles in and around Kiev, the report listed only thirty-seven tanks operational with another ten having been written off.

     The tank seen here doesn't appear to have suffered combat damage but without being able to see the front, it is difficult to say for sure. It may have experienced a mechanical breakdown or threw a track and with the rapid advance, it may have been left behind for a later recovery. In the meantime, it appears to have been scavenged to a small degree, mainly with the spare road-wheels having been taken from their location on the fender as where they were can just be made out to the right of the 13. Panzer-Division symbol.

Postkraftwagenfahrer, Deutsche Reichspost

     The Deutsche Reichspost (DRP) can trace its roots to 1880 when postal services were put under the authority of the Reichspostamt (Reichs Post Office) led by the Generalpostmeister (Postmaster General). The DRP, not surprisingly, has a long history. In regards to women, the DRP, when first formed, did not permit women as employees unless they were the widow of a postal worker or relatives of a male postal worker. The reasoning, at the time, was that women could not exercise the needed official authority nor protect the confidentiality of postal mail. In 1919, the Reichspostamt was superseded by the Reichspostministerium (Reich Ministry of Post) which remained in existence until May 1945. The Postminister for the majority of World War Two was Wilhelm Ohnesorge though Julius Dorpmüller served as the Postminister under the extremely brief Flensburger Regierung (Flensburg Government) which assumed power following the suicide of Reichschancellor Adolf Hitler and lasted from May 2, 1945 to May 23, 1945.

     As noted above, women did find employ in the DRP and while their roles in it did grow over time, the DRP was still heavily weighted towards male employees. But as World War Two commenced and the German military was committed further and further, women soon found themselves with ample opportunity for employ not only in the DRP but other civil services such as the Reichsbahn (State Railways) and in the Zollgrenzschutz (Customs/Border Guards). The main reason for these opportunities was due to more and more men being called up for military service. Delivery of the mail was of vital importance, not only for government communication, but for civilians and the military. Postal mail was often the only way for soldiers to stay in touch with loved ones back home as well as receive letters and parcels from home while away on campaign. This was done through coordination with the Wehrmacht's Feldpost (Field Post) military mail service. In fact, on April 1, 1940, discounted postal rates, to include free postage for some mailings, were instituted for shipments to and from the military. To illustrate this, a Reichspostministerium report showed that in 1943 alone, approximately 7,652,000 pieces of mail (letters, parcels, etc.) transited to and from the Feldpost system.

     The photograph depicts a female postal worker, specifically, a Postkraftwagenfahrer, or Post Truck Driver. That she is a full functionary DRP employee, and not an auxiliary, can be told by the fact she is wearing the DRP uniform with rank insignia. This consisted of a dark blue beret with orange piping, a dark blue jacket, black trousers, and black shoes. The sleeve patch reads Deutsche Reichspost in a Fraktur-like script and has a blue background with the lettering and the adler (eagle) in yellow thread. Her rank, that of Postjungbote (literally “Post Boy”), is denoted by the black collar tabs while her truck driver status is told by the metal postal truck centered and pinned through the tabs. Underneath the jacket is a dark colored blouse and a black tie. She is likely entering information into a log book though what vehicle she is driving cannot be readily identified. The DRP utilized numerous models of trucks and cars including the Phänomen Granit 25, Mercedes-Benz L2500 and 2750 series trucks, Hansa-Lloyd Merkur trucks, and Volkswagen Type 82 (Kübelwagen) and Type 83 (“Käfer“ or Beetle) cars modified into Kastenwagens (box trucks) among others.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Panzerhaubitze 2000 155mm SPH

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     Perhaps the most advanced SPH (Self-Propelled Howitzer) in use by Ukrainian artillery units is the German designed and built Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000; Armored Howitzer 2000). This particular PzH 2000 is being operated by the 43rd. Artillery Brigade “Taras Triasylo”. Developed by KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall, the PzH 2000 entered service in 1998. Ukraine has been provided, to date, with 28 PzH 2000 of which eight came from Dutch stocks and the remainder from Germany. Crew training commenced in May 2022 with the first deliveries of the PzH 2000 arriving in Ukraine starting in late June 2022. As of March 23, 2025, one PzH 2000 has been destroyed with another damaged.

     Power for the 57-ton PzH 2000 comes from a MTU MT881 Ka-500 diesel engine that develops 986 horsepower and this is paired to a Renk manufactured HSWL284C transmission. This provides for a maximum road speed of 41 miles per hour and off-road, terrain depending, up to 28 miles per hour can be achieved. Enough on-board fuel is carried to give the PzH 2000 a maximum cruise range of 260 miles.

     Of course, the crown of the PzH 2000 is its 155mm L52 howitzer and the automation and integration that surrounds it. The 4-man turret provides for a full 360 degrees of traverse while the gun mount permits for a maximum of 65 degrees of elevation and 2.5 degrees of depression. Housed within the hull is a magazine holding 60 rounds of ready projectiles and in the turret is a fully automatic ammunition handling system that draws projectiles from the magazine and loads them via a transfer arm and pneumatic flick rammer. In the back of the turret (behind blast doors) are the propellant bag charges, 288 of them, which are handled by the two loaders. The propellant compartment is air-conditioned to keep the bags at optimal temperature. The fuzing for each projectile is automatically set prior to loading into the breech. A trained crew can burst fire 3 rounds in ten seconds, empty half the magazine in five minutes, or fire the entire 60 rounds in ten minutes.

     In order to provide pin-point accuracy, the PzH 2000 utilizes a fire control computer (FCC) with a integral ballistics calculator. The FCC is coupled to a navigational system and secure channel communications node which can receive target data from higher echelon units or artillery control systems. Using an electrical gun laying system, the howitzer can be brought to bear on target automatically using coordinates provided from the FCC. It should be noted that gun laying and loading can be manually done if there is some failure in the automatic systems. Also, the gunner or commander can utilize a semi-automatic firing mode if desired. If need be, the PzH 2000 has an optical sight for the gunner to allow him to engage targets in direct fire out to 1.2 miles.

     Range for the PzH 2000 depends on the 155mm projectiles being used. The basic German DM121 HE-FRAG (High-Explosive Fragmentation) projectile can be shot to a range of 19 miles while the South African produced M1711 HE-FRAG base bleed projectile can attain a maximum range of 25 miles. Finally, the Rheinmetall M2005 V-LAP (Velocity-enhanced, Long-range Artillery Projectile) is a rocket-assisted projectile (RAP) that can reach out to 34 miles. The PzH 2000 can also fire the U.S. made M982 Excalibur guided munition with the M982A1 being able to strike targets at 31 miles. Finally, the PzH 2000 can also fire the Leonardo (an Italian company) Vulcano GLR (Guided Long Range) projectile out to 43 miles. The FCC and fire control system (FCM) permits the PzH 2000 to conduct Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) fire in which several rounds are fired in a sequence which will have all fired rounds impacting the target at the same time. A “shoot and scoot” fire mission can be done in 1 minute, 40 seconds. This includes 25 seconds to get into action, 1 minute to fire 10 rounds, and 15 seconds to secure the PzH 2000 and move out.

     For protection, the PzH 2000 uses welded steel armor. Though the exact thickness is classified, it is said that the hull and turret can resist up to and including some 14.5mm heavy machine-gun ammunition. The turret roof can be fitted with passive add-on armor (seen in the photograph) to provide a measure of protection against drone-dropped munitions and light caliber mortar rounds (60mm for example). Other protective features include internal spall liners, automatic fire extinguishing systems in the crew and engine compartments, NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) protective system, and optional smoke grenade launchers (also seen here). The PzH 2000 can also be fitted with a machine-gun for local defense.

     Other systems in the PzH 2000 include a laser range finder, day/night optics for the driver and commander, APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) to power systems with the engine off, GPS navigation system, BITE (Built-In Test Equipment) to rapidly assess vehicle status, and a phased array radar in the front upper hull to measure muzzle velocity.

     In Ukrainian service, the PzH 2000 quickly showed that it was not capable of withstanding the volume of fire that typifies the Russo-Ukrainian War. According to KNDS/Rheinmetall, 100 rounds every 24 hours is considered the maximum the PzH 2000 can handle. As an example, a LawfareMedia.org article published on April 3, 2024 stated that at a minimum, Ukrainian artillery units need at least 20,000 shells per day, per gun tube, for them to maintain operational capacity. In 2023, Ukrainian artillery fired between 4,000 to 9,000 rounds per day (the Russians tripled or even quadrupled that). Thus, PzH 2000 equipped units often fired well over the 100 projectile limit and this led to breakdowns of the automatic loading system. Since repairs such as this could not be done in Ukraine, it meant shipping the PzH 2000 vehicle(s) to Lithuania and the consequence was the PzH 2000 was out of action for weeks. Another issue was that some Ukrainian artillerymen “hot loaded” projectiles which meant using powder charges over the maximum limit in order to boost range but induced more rapid wear on the gun barrel, breech, and recoil mechanisms.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Minenräumpanzer Keiler

Source: inukraine.official on Instagram

     A crewman of a Ukrainian Minenräumpanzer Keiler (MiRPz Keiler; Mine-Clearing Tank “Boar”) hams it up for a smartphone video (posted in July 2024) of which this is a screenshot from. In January 2023, Germany provided Ukraine with four MiRPz Keiler vehicles. The MiRPz Keiler is not new and it is actually a heavily modified M48A2 Patton medium tank (specifically, the German upgraded Kampfpanzer M48A2GA2), the M48 having been in service with the Bundeswehr before being retired in 1993. Only 24 Keiler vehicles were converted between 1996 and 1998. MaK GmbH and Thyssen Henschel Wehrtechnik were responsible for the development and production of the Keiler.

     The 53-ton Keiler is powered by a MTU MB 871 liquid-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine that develops 986 horsepower and which is mated to a Renk HSWL 284 M 6-speed transmission (4 forward, 2 reverse). This replaced the Keiler's original Continental AVI-1790-8 606 petrol engine and Allison GMC CD-850-5 transmission as part of a Keiler modernization program that occurred in 2015. The MB 871 engine can propel the Keiler along roads at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour and top reverse speed of 15 miles per hour. Enough fuel is carried to provide for a maximum cruise range of 370 miles.

     Because the Keiler retains the hull of the M48A2CGA2, the crew is protected by 101mm to 120mm thick frontal armor, 76mm thick side armor, 44mm to 51mm thick rear armor, 44mm thick floor armor, and 57mm thick top armor. As for armament, the Keiler has none outside of any small arms the 2-man crew has with them. The Keiler does have 76mm smoke grenade launchers arranged in a single bank of 16 launchers arranged in two, 8 launcher rows. The bank is mounted on the left side of the rear engine deck. Each grenade has a range of 165 feet and all sixteen grenades create a smoke screen in a total arc of 90 degrees.

     Of course, the main piece of apparatus on the Keiler is its flail. The reason for the flat superstructure is to accommodate the flail which is positioned horizontally over the hull when in travel mode. When the flail is deployed for use, the arm that supports it swings 110 degrees to the front and then lowers the flair onto two hydraulic rams which control the up and down motion of the flail. These rams stick out like the tusks of a boar, hence the vehicle's name. Once the flail is in place, a shield fitted to the front lower glacis plate of the Keiler is lowered so that it barely touches the ground. The shield serves two purposes with the first being to protect the rams from mine detonations and the second is to act as a spade to prevent the Keiler from tipping forward as it becomes front heavy with the flail deployed. 

     The flail has two shafts, each fitted with twelve quick-connect chains ending in 53 pound, bell-shaped weights. The Keiler's MB 871 provides drive power to the flail, spinning it at 400 revolutions per minute. This, however, has the side effect of consuming a lot of fuel which can limit the operational range of the Keiler or reduce its operating time when mine clearing. The weights strike the ground at a speed of 125 miles per hour and any mine struck with either detonate or be so damaged from the impact that it is unusable. Nevertheless, a sapper would have to come remove it due to the explosive that remains. The Keiler is said to have a near perfect detonation rate. The flail clears a path 15.5 feet wide and can clear to a depth of 10 inches. During operation, and terrain depending, the Keiler's top clearing speed is 1.25 to 2.5 miles per hour. Due to damage incurred during flailing, every 1.9 miles, the chains need to be replaced to maintain effectiveness. A total of six spare chains and weights are carried atop the hull by the engine deck.

     On the back of the Keiler is a CLAMS (Clear Lane Marking System) built by IMI (Israeli Military Industries) and it deploys a marker flag in the center of the cleared path. The CLAMS can be set to deploy markers automatically or manually. If automatically, the CLAMS can be set to drop a marker every 6, 12, 24, 26, or 48 meters.

     The driver, given his position in the front of the vehicle, is provided with a reinforced hatch to withstand the overpressure wave of exploding mines. Also, because his vision blocks typically get obscured by kicked up soil, he is provided with a gyroscope that keeps him on course.

General Klaus Naumann: The Most Highly Decorated Bundeswehr Soldier

     Born on May 25, 1939 in Munich, Germany, Klaus Dieter Naumann would eventually become one of the most highly decorated German soldiers in the post-World War Two Bundeswehr. Naumann's Bundeswehr career began in 1958 when he enlisted and was posted to Feldartilleriebataillon 41 (Field Artillery Battalion 41). Naumann soon entered Heeresoffizierschule III (Army Officer School) located in München and then further trained at the Artillerieschule (Artillery School) in Idar-Oberstein. Upon completion of these schools, Naumann graduated as an artillery officer.

     Between 1970 and 1972, Naumann attended the thirteenth class of the Generalstabslehrgang (General Staff Course) taught at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr (Command Academy of the Bundeswehr) in Hamburg. Excelling in the course work, Naumann was recognized by being awarded the General-Heusinger-Preis (General Heusinger Prize). Instituted on August 4, 1967, this is the highest honor that can be bestowed to a student upon completion of either General Staff or Admiralty Staff training. After graduation, Naumann held numerous positions within the Bundeswehr, including: Panzerartilleriebataillon 51, Panzerartilleriebataillon 135 (as Battery Chief), Panzerbrigade 15 (operations officer), and Panzerartilleriebataillons 55 (commander).

     In 1981, Naumann was promoted to Oberst (Colonel) and he soon became the head of the Department of Military Policy, Nuclear Strategy and Arms Control (Dezernatsleiter für Militärpolitik, Nuklearstrategie und Rüstungskontrolle), a staff position of the German Military Representative in the NATO Military Committee (Deutschen Militärischen Vertreters im Militärausschuss). In 1983, Naumann graduated from the Royal College of Defense Studies (London, England) and from 1984 to 1986, he commanded Panzergrenadierbrigade 30.

     On October 1, 1991, Naumann was appointed in the role he is most remembered for, that of Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr (Inspector General of the German Armed Forces). This came with a promotion to General and at the time, Naumann was the youngest officer to be appointed to the position. During his term, Naumann initiated a reorganization of the Bundeswehr which commenced in July 1994. By December of that year, he was nominated to become the next Chairman of the NATO Militärausschuss. Naumann's nomination was accepted and in February 14, 1996, his tenure as Inspector General ended and his career as chairman began. Naumann held the chairmanship until 1999 when he retired after nearly 41 years of military service.

     The photograph of Naumann was taken sometime in 1993 or 1994. He is wearing the light gray semi-dress uniform jacket, blue button down shirt, and a black tie. As an officer, the upper collar has gold piping along the edge. Given his was an artillery officer, Naumann wore the crossed cannon badge on the red beret and his shoulder-boards had deep red piping. It should be noted, however, that the waffenfarb (corps color) for general ranks and above was the same deep red as artillery. Speaking of shoulder-boards, although not very visible, each shoulder-board had four rank pips and a laurel plus an inner piping, all in a gold color. On his collar are the General rank tabs which were red with gold bullion thread. Interestingly, the Bundeswehr version differed very little from the original World War Two rank tab. On his left sleeve, of which only the braided gold border can be seen, is the tri-color (black/red/yellow) patch upon which a black eagle within a yellow shield is superimposed. Not visible is the crest of the Führungsstab der Streitkräfte (Fü S; Command Staff of the Armed Forces) on the pocket hanger which is fitted through the button of the upper right pocket.

     As for decorations seen in this photograph (which are only a portion of what he was ultimately decorated with), on the upper row of ribbons, starting nearest his lapel: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 1. Klasse (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1st. Class), Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr (Honor Cross of the Bundeswehr), and the Deutsches Sportabzeichen (German Sports Badge). The next row consists of: Rettungsschwimmabzeichen (Lifeguard Badge), Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur (Commander's Cross of the Legion of Honor [French award]), Meritorious Service Medal [U.S. award], and the Grand Cruz, Orden del Mérito Militar con Distintivo Blanco (Grand Cross of Military Merit with White Decoration [Spanish award]). The single award on the third row is the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE; [British award]).

Primary Source:

Klaus Naumann (General). (2021, August 23). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Naumann_(General)

Obergefreiter: 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division

(Author's Collection)

     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)

7.5cm Panzerabwehrkanone 50: Same Punch, Smaller Package

(Author's Collection)

     One of the lesser known German anti-tank guns is this, the 7.5cm Panzerabwehrkanone 50 (PaK 50). The intent of the PaK 50 was to create a smaller, lighter, and more portable version of the potent 7.5cm PaK 40 anti-tank gun and development of this new gun started late in 1943. To achieve this, the 11 foot 4 inch long barrel of the PaK 40 was cut down to 7 feet 4 inches long. Fitted to the end of the barrel was a large muzzle brake of which the PaK 50 in the photograph has five baffles but another prototype featured only three baffles. The purpose of a muzzle brake is to redirect propellant gasses in order to counter recoil forces and in some cases, reduce muzzle rise. In the case of the PaK 50, the baffles were angled to the sides and back which is designed to vent the gasses to the rear and thus pull the gun forward, reducing recoil forces. A drawback to this design is that the gasses are shunted back towards the gun crew and the blast can kick up dirt and debris. This can obscure the gunner's vision as well as expose the firing position of the gun. As a countermeasure to this, when able, some anti-tank gun crews wet the ground around the gun to reduce the amount of dust and debris that is stirred up after firing. The shortened barrel was fitted to the same recoil mechanism as the PaK 40, thus simplifying production. Another feature of the PaK 50 meant to ease production was the usage of the same split-trail, wheeled carriage as the 5cm PaK 38 anti-tank gun. The gun was loaded via a semi-automatic horizontal sliding block breech which meant that after firing, the breech opened, ejected the shell casing, and remained open to permit the loading of a new round. To protect the gun crew, a two-layer gun shield was used in which a gap existed between the front shield plate and the back plate. This was a type of spaced armor that reduced the penetrating power of small arm bullets. Bullets tend to deform, deflect, or tumble after piercing armor plate and thus as the round passed through the space, it may no longer have had the velocity or direction to punch through the second plate. The gun had a maximum depression of -8 degrees to a maximum elevation of 27 degrees. For traverse, the gun could be swung in a 65 degree arc before it was required to move the entire gun if further traverse was needed. What ammunition the PaK 50 used remains unknown to this day as the gun was never listed on German wartime ammunition tables. It is believed the PaK 50 would have had the approximate performance of the larger PaK 40 and so firing Panzergranate 39 (PzGr. 39) armor-piercing ammunition, the PaK 50 could penetrate around 64mm of armor at a 30 degree slope at 1,500 meters. Firing the PzGr. 40 armor-piercing, composite rigid (APCR) round, penetration was 77mm at the same armor slope and range. Finally, the PzGr. 38 HL/B high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round could penetrate 75mm of armor at the same slope and range. It is believed, however, that the AP and APCR rounds would not have been as effective (if at all) in the PaK 50 and the primary ammunition would have been the HEAT round. But, again, what the true performance of the PaK 50 was remains unknown. While the PaK 50 was more easily concealed thanks to its low height and more compact size, the combat weight of the weapon was 2,425 pounds and so it was by no means a light gun. Still, it was a weight savings in comparison to the PaK 40's combat weight of 3,142 pounds.

     Source depending, the PaK 50 either was or was not deployed into combat. The prototype PaK 50 guns appeared in the summer of 1944 and it is said that after trials, the PaK 50 was approved for production. There are reports that a few hundred PaK 50 were built between the remainder of 1944 and into the spring of 1945 and were issued to anti-tank troops but this has not been verified. Other sources cite that because no ammunition data existed, the PaK 50 guns which were built remained prototypes and none of them saw service. Today, not a single PaK 50 remains and the only known photographs show the guns on trial and the handful of examples captured by the U.S. after the war (of which this photograph is one of the captured PaK 50).

Primary Sources:

Hogg, Ian V. German Artillery of World War Two (Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 1997)

Lüdeke, Alexander German Heavy Artillery Guns 1933-1945 (South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Books Ltd., 2015)

The Maschinengewehr 08: Workhorse of the German Military

(Author's Collection)

     In 1887, Hiram Maxim demonstrated his machine-gun to the Germans and suitably impressed after a long period of trials with the Maxim, a limited number were purchased by the Deutsches Heer in 1895 and the Kaiserliche Marine in 1896. In service, these weapons were designated as the Maschinengewehr 99 (MG 99). Minor updates were made to the MG 99 which resulted in the Maschinengewehr 01 which was officially put into service in limited numbers in 1901 as the MG 01. The Deutsches Heer was still not completely satisfied with the MG 01 and so further refinements were developed by both Spandau Aresnal and Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM), mainly to lighten the weapon in action. The distinctive sled mount for the machine-gun was much the same as with the early MG 99 except that the ability to affix travel wheels to the sled which was introduced with the MG 01 was removed in order to save weight. The new machine-gun, the MG 08, went into production at Spandau in 1908 and entered service with the Deutsches Heer the same year. The MG 08, in action, was by no means a lightweight weapon. The entire apparatus for the MG 08, called the Maschinengewehr-Gerät 08, included the machine-gun (with 4 liters of water in the cooling jacket), the sled mount (called the Schlitten 08), two extra barrels, and two extra toggle locks added up to 137 pounds not including the ammunition. The MG 08 itself made up 58 pounds of the total weight. The MG 08 was 46 inches long with a 28 inch long barrel. The MG 08 had a rate of fire of 300 to 350 rounds per minute and ammunition was fed into the gun in 250-round cloth belts. To increase the rate of fire, muzzle boosters were fitted to some MG 08 weapons (which appeared as a reverse conical addition on the end of the muzzle) which increased the rate of fire by some 45%. Such guns were designated as the MG 08 mit Rilckstorsverstärker S. The effective range of the MG 08 was 2,000 meters though it had a maximum range of 3,500 meters thanks to its 2,838 feet per second muzzle velocity (with booster). By August 1914, the Deutsches Heer had 4,114 MG 08s, 398 MG 01s, and 18 MG 99s in service.

     The photograph, however, does not come from World War One. Instead, it likely comes from the early 1930s and the main clue to this is the gas masks this machine-gun crew is wearing. The gas mask appears to be the Gasmaske 30, also known as the S-Maske or “Schutzmaske“, as evidenced by the rubberized canvas and the shape of the metal snout. The Gasmaske 30 was introduced in 1930 and would remain the primary gas mask until the introduction of the Gasmaske 38 in 1938. The loader, and probably the gunner, don't appear to have the filter in place. Had they, it would have been screwed into the snout. The mounting, however, isn't the Schlitten 08, and instead, it is the lighter Dreifuss 16 tripod which was introduced in 1916. We can also tell this is a training exercise as a blank firing adapter has been fitted to the barrel. Around the loader's chest and back are the drag straps used to haul the weapon around and near his foot is a shovel that was carried in order to quickly improve their position.

     As for the unit, this might be told on the Dreifuss 16 where what appears to be 2/J.R.9 is painted in white on the tripod. Thus, if accurate, the men would be from the 2nd. Bataillon, Jäger-Regiment 9. This unit can be traced back to August 1916 when it was formed in Galicia under the original unit name of Regiment Veith. It was originally under Infanterie-Regiment 199 (I.R.199) commanded by Major von Notz of the XX. Armee Korps. Jäger units were considered light infantry whose primary missions were skirmishing, reconnaissance, and sharpshooting. However, most of the of the Jäger-Regiments that existed in World War One were disbanded with the onset of the post-WW1 German military, the Reichswehr, which was limited to only 100,000 men. Still, the traditions of the Jäger-Regiments carried on into the infantry regiments created under the Reichswehr and by 1933, the usage of the term “Jäger“ would again reappear as Germany expanded the military. That said, the men could be from a different unit all together only that their equipment, in this case the MG 08, was from the disbanded J.R.9. 

Primary Sources:

de Quesada, Alejandro M. Uniforms of the German Soldier (St. Paul: MBI Publishing Co., 2006)

Markham, George Guns of the Reich: Firearms of the German Forces, 1939-1945 (London: Arms and Armour Press, 1991)

Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand: Shot Up at Ponyri

     The settlement of Ponyri would see occupation following the advance of the German XXXXVIII Motorized Corps through the area in October 1941. It would remain in German hands until elements of the Soviet 48th. and 13th. Armies pushed the Germans out of Ponyri on February 9, 1943. Ponyri would feature in the greatest armored engagement of World War Two, the Battle of Kursk, which commenced on July 5, 1943 when the Germans launched Unternehmen Zitadelle (Operation Citadel). 

     On July 9, 1943, elements of the XXXXI Panzer Corps moved on Ponyri. Included in those elements was Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 654 (654th. Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion) which was equipped with the Sd.Kfz. 184 Panzerjäger Tiger (P) tank destroyer, better known as the Ferdinand (later Elefant). Boasting a maximum of 200mm of frontal armor and armed with the potent 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 L/71 anti-tank gun, the Ferdinand was well able to withstand Soviet anti-tank fire. Still, the Ferdinand was able to be beaten. In and around Ponyri, the Soviet 307th. and 1023rd. Rifle Regiment, bolstered by the 3rd. and 4th. Guards Airborne Division and elements of the 3rd. Tank Corps, bloodied the Germans severely and ground down their advance to the point it stalled with most of the German objectives unattained. 

     Littered around Ponryi were the wrecks of several Ferdinands of Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 654 of which this vehicle was one. With the tactical number 712 and belonging to the 7th. Company, the vehicle had suffered numerous strikes to the superstructure front armor with no penetration and a glancing blow can be seen in the armor on the hull front as well as on the gun tube. The Ferdinand is also pock-marked from machine-gun fire. The disabling hits came from two rounds into the gun, one cracking the gun mantlet and the other the barrel itself. Due to the 65 ton weight of the Ferdinand, recovery of damaged vehicles was a very difficult task during combat operations and more often than not, they had to be abandoned even when the damage received was quite repairable.

Rheinmetall-Borsig 8.8cm Flugabwehrkanone 41: Improving the Best

(Author's Collection)

     Despite the tremendous success of the 8.8cm Flak 18/36/37 (best known simply as the “88”) gun in both the anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles, the Luftwaffe knew its success would wane and so it asked both Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig to come up with the successor. Krupp’s Gerät 42 design lost out to Rheinmetall-Borsig’s 8.8cm Flugabwehrkanone (Flak) 41 and the new gun entered service beginning in March 1943. The initial design of the Flak 41 was completed in 1941 and the first 152 guns taken into service featured a complicated sleeved, three bore sectioned barrel within a jacket with a locking collar to hold the sections together. When steel cased ammunition was used, it would often swell and the cartridge would not extract. This was solved by using brass and so those original weapons in service carried a yellow band around the barrel and a yellow “M” painted on the breech so that crews knew only to use brass (Messing) ammunition. The next 133 Flak 41 examples used a 2 bore sectioned barrel but the extraction problem persisted. The final 271 production guns used a heavier two section barrel and jacket. Despite the ammunition problems, the Flak 41’s capability exceeded that of its predecessor with a higher rate of fire, higher muzzle velocity, higher ceiling, and a longer range (when engaged in direct fire). In addition, the gun sat on a 360° rotating turntable rather than the “88’s” taller pedestal mount. This, coupled with a rear set gun trunnion, meant the Flak 41 had a low profile which made concealment easier when serving in the anti-tank role. The Czechs thought enough of the Flak 41 to keep captured examples in service into the 1960s.

     This particular Flak 41 appears to have been caught while limbered and the back portion appears to have burned or been scorched to some degree given the blackened appearance and missing tire. Although somewhat faint, a sharp edged camouflage pattern can be seen on the gun shield and on the visible folded stabilizer leg. Foliage had been draped on the gun as a means to add additional camouflage while stationary but that appears to have done little good. It is difficult to tell for certain but this Flak 41 is likely from the last production batch.

 

The German 7.7cm FK 96 n.A.: Improvised Anti-Aircraft Gun

      As a weapon of war, aircraft came into their own during World War One (WW1). By the close of the war in 1918, airplanes were a far cry from their predecessors at the start in 1914. Not surprisingly, the means to combat airplanes and remove them from the skies evolved as well. Dedicated anti-aircraft guns did not come about immediately and so most of the major warring powers during WW1 devised ad-hoc apparatus to enable existing guns to point skyward. Field artillery was not designed to fire at high angle and so such guns did not have the ability to elevate the gun tube to such degrees. So, there was the need to raise the gun itself to allow for more elevation as well as provide enough clearance for the gun to recoil without hitting the ground. This particular German solution is quite elaborate compared to other, cruder apparatus. 

     The gun is the German 7.7cm FK 96 n.A. (neuer Art; meaning “new Style”) and it is mounted on a carriage which is fixed centrally on the ground. This allowed the entire contraption to be moved 360 degrees via a long pole set in the back (not fitted in this photograph) which was pushed by a portion of the crew. Elevation was set via the adjusting mechanism at the back of the carriage. This was accomplished by an artilleryman sitting in the seat above it and turning a wheel which would allow more rapid adjustment of the gun. This same man would also use the anti-aircraft gun sight to bring the cannon to bear and no doubt directed the crew members assigned to traversing the carriage. All told, the crew consisted of about eight men. Interestingly, this specific carriage design was used on other guns (as other photographic evidence shows) but it is possible that other images depict guns of the same unit (and thus locally fabricated) rather than an issued piece of equipment in use by other artillery troops. In short order, dedicated anti-aircraft guns and mounts would be constructed and used by Germany, France, and Britain prior to the cessation of hostilities in 1918.

The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard: The Bundeswehr's Potent SPAAG

      A West German crewman of a Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard (Anti-Aircraft Cannon Tank “Cheetah”), more commonly referred to as the Flakpanzer Gepard, shows off a section of linked 35mm ammunition for the Gepard's twin 35mm Oerlikon GDF automatic cannons. The advent of the jet aircraft in the ground attack role meant that existing self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAGs) which relied on visual (optical) sighting (also called “clear weather” systems) and manual fire controls were rapidly on the road to obsolescence. The deployment by the Soviet Union of the ZSU-23-4 “Shilka” (Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka; Anti-Aircraft Self-Propelled System) beginning in 1965 which featured the RPK-2 “Tobol” (NATO codename Gun Dish) radar linked to its four 23mm 2A7 autocannons was something that the West had to fear as no NATO country had anything comparable. The U.S. Army did have the T249 Vigilante, a radar-controlled 37mm six-barrel rotary cannon that was capable of spitting out 3,000 rounds per minute. Mounted on a modified M113 armored personnel carrier chassis, development of the T249 started in 1956, one year prior to the start of the ZSU-23-4 program. However, by 1962, the T249 was canceled in favor of the General Dynamics MIM-46 Mauler self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system. Meanwhile, Germany commenced work on the Flapanzer Gepard in 1963 with the first four prototypes being constructed in 1969. These prototypes tested both 30mm and 35mm automatic cannons and on June 25, 1970, it was decided that the Gepard was to utilize the 35mm Oerlikon GDF guns. A year later, a further twelve prototypes were built. The Gepard was not an inexpensive piece of equipment with one Gepard having three times the price of a single Leopard 1 main battle tank (MBT). On February 5, 1973, the approval of funds for the purchase of 420 examples was given and in September of 1973, Krauss-Maffei was contracted to construct and assemble the new SPAAG. The first Gepards entered Bundeswehr service beginning in December 1976.

     The chassis of the Gepard consists of a Leopard 1 MBT hull with only a minimal of design changes. The key changes included adding more batteries, slightly increasing the distance between the third and fourth road wheel, and adding a Daimler-Benz OM 314 4-cylinder auxiliary diesel engine into a compartment that originally housed ammunition for the Leopard 1's main gun. This auxiliary engine generates 66 kilowatts and provides power to two tandem Metadyn machines linked to a flywheel which controls the turret traverse and gun elevation drives, two 3-phase 380 Hertz generators that operate the ventilation, fire control, and radar systems, and a Model 300-A 28 volt DC generator for the Gepard's electrical system. 260 gallons of diesel fuel feed the engine and provides up to a maximum of 48 hours of continuous usage. The engine is the same as the Leopard 1, being a MTU built Model 838 10-cylinder multi-fuel engine that produces 819 horsepower which gives the Gepard a maximum speed of 40mph with an operational range of 340 miles. The chassis modifications were done by Krauss-Maffei and also Porsche.

     The twin 35mm Oerlikon GDF guns and the turret were designed by Oerlikon-Bührle with the guns having a muzzle velocity of 4,700 feet per second that give an effective range of 5,500 meters. Each gun is supplied with link belted ammunition with a mixture of 320 rounds of anti-aircraft ammunition and 20 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition for a total capacity of 680 rounds. The combined rate of fire for the guns is 1,100 rounds per minute. Maximum gun elevation is 85 degrees with the maximum gun depression being 10 degrees. Fitted to the back of the turret on a retractable arm is the search radar developed by Hollandse Signaalapparaten while fitted to the front of the turret is the tracking radar, designed by Siemens. The search radar operates in the S band and has a 9 mile range while the tracking radar operates in the Ku band and also has a 9 mile range. In addition, the Gepard is equipped with a laser rangefinder. This provides the Gepard with all-weather fire-control. For self-defense, eight smoke grenade launchers are fitted to the turret, four per side. For protection, the turret has approximately 40mm of armor while the hull has between 50mm to 70mm of frontal armor, 35mm of side armor, and 25mm of rear armor. The armor type is RHA (rolled homogeneous armor).

     Today, the Gepard has been replaced in Bundeswehr service by the missile-armed Wiesel 2 Ozelot (“Ocelot”) Leichtes Flugabwehrsystem (Light Anti-Aircraft System). Brazil, Jordan, and Romania are the only current operators of the Gepard with Qatar to be the fourth with 15 expected to be in service by 2022 for anti-drone duties.

     As a note, the MIM-46 Mauler mentioned above ended up canceled in 1965. During the time of the Gepard's development, the U.S. came up with the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) which utilized the General Dynamics M61 20mm 6-barrel Vulcan rotary cannon linked to a simple AN/VPS-2 range finder radar and M61 optical lead-calculating sight. Usage of a night vision sight allowed the M163 to have day and night firing capability. It was to work in conjunction with the missile-armed M48 Chaparral and thus between the two, short to long range engagements of enemy aircraft could be conducted. The M163 used the M113 chassis while the M48 utilized the M730 chassis, the latter a heavily modified carrier variant of the M113. In 1977, the U.S. Army started the M247 Sergeant York DIVAD (Division Air Defense) SPAAG project. Built on a M48 Patton tank chassis, the M247 was developed by Ford Aerospace and consisted of twin 40mm Bofors L/70 cannons in turret which also contained the search radar and the Westinghouse AN/APG-66 tracking radar. The entire M247 program was riddled with problems, not the least of which the M247 was built using as much “off the shelf” components as possible. Other problems included an easily jammed electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM suite), the inability of the M247 to keep pace with the M1 Abrams MBT, a turret which turned too slow to engage fast moving targets, a tracking radar which was incapable of detecting targets from ground clutter and had a slow reaction time, and huge cost overruns. After 50 vehicles were built, the entire project was canceled in August 1985. In the meantime, the U.S. Army kept on using the M163 and M48 Chaparral into the 1990s before the introduction of the M6 Linebacker and later, the M1097 Avenger.

Leutnant der Reserve Paul-Georg Kleffel: 4./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3

     Born on September 7, 1920 in Billerbeck, Germany, Paul-Georg Kleffel's early life isn't much known and in fact, much of what we do know concerns his military career. In 1939, Kleffel joined the German Heer (Army), his qualifications permitting him to apply from the outset as a reserve officer (Reserveoffiziere). He was sent to one of the five Kriegsschulen (War Schools) within Germany to attend the standard eight week training course which Kleffel successfully passed, graduating with the rank of Leutnant der Reserve (2nd. Lieutenant) sometime in 1941. 

     Kleffel was posted to the 4./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 (4th. Company, 3rd. Reconnaissance Detachment) which was part of the 3. Panzerdivision. The division was the third of the original three panzer divisions created by the German Army, being formed on October 15, 1935. The 3. Panzerdivision saw action during the invasion of Poland, combat in Belgium, and saw action during the Battle of France. Kleffel, however, did not go into battle with the division until Unternehmen Barbarossa (Operation Barbarossa), the invasion of Russia, that kicked off on June 22, 1941. 3. Panzerdivision was under the XXIV. Armeekorps as part of the 2. Panzerarmee which itself was under Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Center).

     Kleffel remained with the 4./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 for the entirety of the war but curiously, much of his early combat career on the Eastern Front isn't well documented. In fact, the two volume series “Armored Bears: The German 3rd. Panzer Division in World War II”, written by veterans of the 3rd. Panzer Division, makes no mention of Kleffel until his actions in 1943-1944. What we do know is that his first position in the 4th. Kompanie was as a Zugführer (platoon leader). It was during this time that Kleffel was decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class), Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class), Nahkampfspange in Bronze (Close Combat Clasp in Bronze), and the Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal) which is more often referred to as the Ostmedaille (Eastern Medal). The latter, a campaign medal, was received for service in Russia between November 15, 1941 and April 15, 1942. On November 16, 1943, Kleffel (now a Oberleutnant der Reserve;1st. Lieutenant) was awarded with the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross). This decoration was received for either repeated acts of bravery under fire or for examples of exceptional military leadership. A part of the prerequisite to being awarded this medal was to already have earned the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse which Kleffel had.

     On April l13, 1944, now Kompaniechef (Company Commander) of the 4th. Kompanie, Kleffel and his unit was situated in a wooded area to the east of Orhei (today in the Republic of Moldova). There, they spotted Soviet infantrymen advancing through the woods and Kleffel understood that if the Soviets were allowed to establish themselves there, it would pose a very real threat to the German defensive lines to the south of Orhei. Without orders, Kleffel moved to attack, committing eight Schützenpanzerwagen (SPW), the term German officers used for the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251 (Sd.Kfz 251) half-track. As the half-tracks crested a hill, Soviet anti-tank guns greeted them but skillful use of the terrain and mobility of the half-tracks allowed Kleffel to maneuver to the flank of the Soviet infantry where the machine-guns tore into the Soviet troops, sending them into a panic. Not one to pause, Kleffel pushed the attack against the routed infantry, chasing them despite driving into the effective range of the Soviet guns. The Soviet troops, part of a regiment, were decimated but before the Soviets could mobilize a counter-attack, Kleffel pulled his half-tracks back to his line. For this action, Kleffel was presented with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) on May 14, 1944. Kleffel, during his combat career, was wounded seven times though interestingly, his known decorations do not include the Verwundetenabzeichen (Wound Badge). Even if the injuries were relatively minor, it would have certainly been enough to warrant the Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klass. In addition, sometime in the latter half of 1944, Kleffel was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain).

     Kleffel survived the war but whether he served any time as a POW is not known. He finished an apprenticeship and starting in 1949, he worked in the film industry until 1956 when he joined the Bundeswehr. Entering into service as a Hauptmann, in keeping with his rank from World War Two, Kleffel completed his general staff training and became the G3 (operations) staff officer for Panzergrenadierbrigade 13 from 1959 to 1963. He then spent a year at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr (Bundeswehr Leadership Academy) until 1964 when he transferred to, interestingly, the 3. Panzerdivision as their Chief of Staff. Promoted to Oberst (Colonel), Kleffel became a planner in 1968 at the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (Federal Ministry of Defense) until taking over as the commander of Panzergrenadierbrigade 16 whose command he held until April 30, 1972. Following that command, Kleffel moved to lead the III. Korps until September 1973 when he then assumed command of the 12. Panzerdivision until September 30, 1976. Kleffel would hold several other positions until he retired from the Bundeswehr on September 30, 1980. Bundeswehr decorations he received included the Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Cross of Merit 1st. Class) in 1973 and the Großes Verdienstkreuz (Commander's Great Cross of Merit) in 1979.

     After retiring, Kleffel became the manager for Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe (Johanniter Accident Aid), a Christian charity organization. He remained as manager until 1987. Paul-Georg Kleffel died in Bonn, Germany on February 19, 2020 at the age of 99.

     The photograph here is likely a postwar autograph card. It shows Kleffel as a fresh Leutant der Reserve as denoted by his schulterstücke (shoulder boards) and he is wearing the Dienstanzug für Offiziere (Service Uniform for Officers) in the Modell 1936 style, evidenced by the dark, blue-green collar. That is could be postwar is that the photograph is cropped in such a way as to not show the swastika of the adler (eagle) above the right breast pocket. The display of the swastika in Germany was banned following the approval of Strafgesetzbuch (Criminal Code), Section § 86a in the 1950s.