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Friday, September 15, 2023

Herbert Otto Gille and Hellmuth Becker


Polish Front, January 1945: While holding a wolchowstock (the walking stick for German officers and non-commissioned officers typical of the Eastern Front), SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) chatted with SS- Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Hellmuth Becker (Kommandeur 3. SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf") who was under his command. Far left behind Gille is SS-Sturmbannführer Adolf Pittschellis (Führer SS-Panzer-Regiment 3 / 3.SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf") who would later be killed in battle on January 26, 1945, just a few days after this photo was taken! BTW, the Ärmelstreifen (cufftitle) attached to Becker's arm is different from the ärmelstreifen commonly worn by other Totenkopf Division personnel. The ärmelstreifen bearing the skull was a sign that the wearer was a former member of the SS-Totenkopfstandard "Oberbayern" in Dachau, and they were allowed to keep it on their arm even after moving to another unit as a form of pride in their old unit.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2016/02/foto-hellmuth-becker.html

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