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Himmler and prisoner staring at each other


Lee

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What's the story behind this photo? Who was the prisoner and what was going on at this moment? Do anyone know? Kind regards Lee 

 

 

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Himmler was simply visiting a prisoner of war camp in Russia, nothing special. The Russian shows a defiant attitude, Himmler appears interested and slightly amused. Russia did not sign or recognise the Geneva Convention, so there was no mutual taking care of prisoners, and their fate was a matter of luck. The Germans also did not have the means to feed these masses of prisoners, so many died of malnutrition.
Taken after June 1941 or later. The photo has been printed the wrong way round, right should be left and vice-versa. This often happens when the negativ is viewed or exposed from the wrong side.
Here, the photo as it should be:

File:Himmler besichtigt die Gefangenenlager in Russland. Heinrich Himmler inspects a prisoner of war camp in Russia, circa... - NARA - 540164.jpg

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Thank you... I find this picture so interesting.. How they are both staring at each other. Would love to get hold of the original period photo of this. Did hitler visit prisoner camps? 

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Also do you own or seen any original heinrich Himmler items? Bet its almost impossible to come a cross. I can't even find SS items.. Let alone himmler genuine things 

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The first photo is quite well known and can be found everywhere, however, no one seems to know exactly when it was taken, probably between 1941 and 1942.  The last photo I haven't seen before, it would be well pre-war, possibly visiting one of the concentration camps such as Dachau or Sachsenhausen, where political prisoners were held. Himmler is wearing the old pre-war black uniform, the cap has the new type insignia, he is also wearing the "Blood Order" in the right pocket button-hole as was usual for this decoration. He is also wearing a dress sword. In the background are political officials in the brown uniform. Probably taken around 1938. I don't own any items with a connection to Himmler. SS items are hardly found nowadays, most were destroyed or buried at the lastest by the end of the war, apart from some GI souvenirs which may be in America. Almost everything and everyone from those days has disappeared into thin air or gone up in smoke. The Waffen-SS, Allgemeine SS and all affiliated organisations were declared "criminal" by the Allies at the end of WW2, and any survivers had to keep a low profile after the war, or change their identity, especially in Germany. They never received any pensions from the government for their service.
Recently several 95 year olds were put on trial in Germany, all of them died shortly after the sentences were passed.
Any original SS items are unafordable nowadays. For that there are a lot of copies, reproductions and fakes to be seen on the market, also entire uniforms and helmets are being re-produced, such is the demand.

Hitler did not visit prison camps.

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Thank you Fritz... Such good information and thanks for your time.  Himmler smirking in the last photo.. So pleased of himself

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Himmler may have had a slight inferiority complex, which he tried to compensate for. Unlike many other prominent NS leaders, he had no decorations and no military record. At the end of 1918, he was an 18 year old officer candidate based in Munich (training January till December 1918), but the war ended before he could become anything. He later studied agriculture and earned his diploma als Diplom-Landwirt. His only known decorations are the golden party badge and the Blood Order (although one photo shows him with a long ribbon bar), but at least he had a very impressive and unique uniform as Reichsführer-SS.
Since found, second photo was a visit to Dachau in 1936.

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He ended up being a commander of an army towards the end of the war right? To protect Germany industrial heartland then after that failed.. Hitler took another punt on him to defend Berlin from the  advancing Soviets. Think I see that in a fantastic documentary.. (Hitlers Inner circle)

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Also how would I go about acquiring a blood order declaration? I don't think iv seen one for sale

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The pamphlet is just a book about the honor ring by Don Boyle who has studied the ring in great detail. I've not had a ring in a while but would imagine they must be going for around £5K for a nice one now. Blood orders are just as hard to find originals of, again not had one is a while but I think first patterns go for around £5K -£10K and second patterns are a bit less, probably around £3K - £5K. I remember when I used to sell them for £800 in their original cases.          

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Himmler was placed in command of the Ersatzheer after the 20. July 1944. The Ersatzheer was a reserve, which mainly was guarding the homeland and was recruited from all men from about 12 up to the age of 64, and even older.  This also included the hastily raised Volkssturm and other units raised in the last six months of the war. Himmler also encouraged and supported the idea of a Werwolf resistance movement to operate in allied occupied zones. Otto Skorzeny and Hans-Adolf Prützmann were responsable for training some of the units.

Further note: Himmler also later won his pilot's badge, as seen in this photo

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Himmler and Reichsjugendführer Artur Axmann inspect Hitler-Youth volunteers for the SS, 1. June 1943.

Zweiter Weltkrieg: Wie der MI5 dem "Werwolf" auf den Leim geht - WELT

Himmlers speech prior to forming the Volkssturm and a final resistance, Königsberg, September 1944

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Ersatzheer - wounded members of the Hitlerjugend

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A member of the Werwolf organisation. To discourage others, British troops openly displayed "This man shot at our posts in the night of 3.-4. May" (1945). Four days later the war in Europe was over. In the last months of the war between September 1944 and May 1945 the death toll in Germany was higher than all previously during the entire war up till then.

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Werwolf suspects arrested by American troops in April-May 1945

 

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Thanks Kenny, very expensive.. But would love to have one 😁 and Fritz thank you so much information. I have recently picked this book up..  Don't know how good it will be though.. You read it?

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Not read it but it looks good 

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