12th SS Grenadier, Normandy/France, summer 1944.

12th SS  Grenadier

Always a bit mystified by this, and similar 'photos of Weidinger, wearing RK with Oakleaves and Swords.  The Swords were gazetted to Weidinger on 6 May 1945 by 6 SS-Panzerarmee on foot of an "unconfirmed" award by Sepp Dietrich.  Was there time to have posed studio portraits like this taken at this stage ?  Did Weidinger have to borrow the Swords for the portrait ?  Or were earlier portraits "touched up" with the Swords (as discussed here recently) ?  If the latter, it looks a pretty good job ... Best regards, JR

Obersturmbannfuhrer Otto Weidinger

12th SS Grenadier, Normandy/France, summer 1944. 