Second commander of the Spanish División Azul, following the reacall to Spain of Munoz Grandes in December 1942.  He commanded the Division until its recall by Franco in December 1943.  Like his precedessor, he was awarded the Knight's Cross (Munoz Grandes also received the Oakleaves), as well as the German Cross in Gold (shown here).  Best regards, JR.

General Emilio Esteban Infantes

General Agustín Munoz Grandes, first commander of the Spanish Blue Division in German service, addresses his men prior to deployment with Army Group North on the Eastern Front, September 1941.  They look cold already ... Best regards, JR.

Blue Division.

Waffen-SS Standartenfuhrer Hermann Fegelein and Waffen-SS BrigadefuhrerWilhelm Bittrich, Summer 1942.  Bittrich is wearing the "pre-1942" pattern Brigadefuhrer collar patches.  Fegelein, one of the most prominent Waffen-SS cavalry commanders and a favourite of Himmler, rose to the (unusual) rank combination of Gruppenfuhrer (Allgemeine) SS and Obergruppenfuhrer und General der Waffen-SS.  He was executed in the Fuhrerbunker in 1945 for attempting to flee Berlin without leave (he was the recently-disgraced Himmler's representative at Fuhrer's Headquarters at the time).  The exact circumstances of the execution remain somewhat unclear.  Bittrich, a very capable commander, is mainly remembered now as the defender of Arnhem during Operation Market Garden (as commander, II SS-Panzerkorps).  Possessed of a sharp and wounding wit, Bittrich appears nevertheless to have been a civilised and honourable officer.  Also, it appears, a tolerant, generous one.  He delivered an oration at the funeral of Sepp Dietrich - notwithstanding the fact that he appears to have found the Oberstgruppenfuhrer exasperating as a work colleague.  Best regards, JR.