There are literally thousands of Waffen SS wartime images. However, unless you are quite experienced and knowledgeable they can be difficult to find or identify.

Therefore, we are adding a “Featured Pictures” page to our website which we will frequently update. We do hope you will enjoy our photographs and your comments are very welcome.

WAFFEN SS M1944 TARNJACKE DOT44 PEA DOT Jacket.

Commonly known by modern collectors as Dot44 or Pea Dot camouflage. Official regulations stated that apart from the arm eagle no insignia was to be worn with these camouflage jackets.

However, there are several contemporary pictures to indicate this order was widely ignored, particularly by officers and NCOs. The first picture shows the left arm of an Obersturmfurhrer rank patch just above the arm eagle and designed for camouflage smocks and jackets.

The second picture shows the jacket worn with shoulder boards, and awards.

Market Garden, Arnhem, September 1944

German Kriegsmarine soldiers with a Waffen SS driver in a captured airborne jeep guard two British Paratrooper POW’s during Operation Market Garden, Arnhem.

Note the anchor on the tunic buttons and shoulder straps of the Kreigsmarine guards who are possibly from the Division Von Tettau which used troops from the 20. Schiffstammabteilungen located in Ede, close to Arnhem

The building in the background is the Musis Sacrum where most of the British prisoners were held in Arnhem.

Waffen SS Kradschutzen in Holland 1940

The Wehrmacht developed Kradschützen as a rapid mobile assault and reconnaissance force from 1936 and were used extensively during the early stages of the Second World War as part of the German Blitzkrieg successes (1939-1940) and Operation Barbarossa Invasion of Russia (June 1941)….

Waffen SS MG42 Maschinengewehr Gun Team

Waffen SS marching troops (Zug).

Recently found this picture on the internet which had a caption stating it was a squad of 9ss Hohenstaufen recruits in training, which is difficult to confirm.  However, from the kit worn the photograph could be mid war period (1941-1943) e.g. smocks, side caps and low boots….

Waffen SS Granatwerfer Mortar Crew.

The 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 was the standard German infantry mortar throughout World War II. It was noted for its accuracy and rapid rate of fire.

Waffen SS NCO group briefing prior to a combat mission. Note use of classic SS camouflage smocks, helmet covers and combat equipment.

Waffen SS Germania soldiers during the Blitzkrieg in France, 1940. Dressed in wool tunics. Note the lack of camouflage smocks and helmet covers. 

Group of Waffen SS combat soldiers wearing the camouflaged SS Zeltbahn Poncho Cape and helmet cover with the MG 42 gunner wearing the classic wool tunic…

Schwimmwagen Type 162 on Eastern (Ost) Front, Russia, driven by SS-Hauptsturmführer Gustav Knittel

Waffen SS Officers and NCOs with various Jacket Styles

Waffen SS Kradschutzen Barbarossa, Russia 1940

Waffen SS Kradschützen motorcycle troops from the Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler Division wearing the classic Kradmantel waterproof jacket during early stages of the invasion of Russia – Operation Barbarossa 1940.

Captured British Airborne troopers and Jeep during Operation Market Garden, Arnhem 1944.

Waffen SS Karl Brommann

German Panzer Ace SS Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann wearing the classic U boat leather jacket preferred by many German SS and Heer Panzer crews for the additional protection they provided.

Waffen SS young recruits wearing classic “Oakleaf Fall” Reversible Camouflage parkas and trousers (Autumn/Winter 1944-45). 

Waffen SS Prisoners of War captured during the Normandie Campaign (June – August 1944).

This picture shows the German soldiers wearing the late war classic Waffen SS Erbsenmuster camouflage tunic and trousers. The Erbsenmuster or pea-dot pattern (also known as Dot 44, dot pattern or Peas 44) was one of a family of German camouflage patterns, and was first issued on 1 March 1944. The pea-dot was a major departure from the earlier camouflage smocks. The two piece uniform was designed to be worn over the wool service uniform or by itself and was designated as both a combat and work uniform. The more common later version featured a jacket without the shoulder board loops or insignia and made from herringbone twill.

In the picture beside some of the soldiers also wear the older style camouflage pullover smocks as well as Erbsenmuster Pea Dot camouflage.

Erbsenmuster camouflage is a firm favourite with modern day militaria collectors and living history re-enactors who tend to call this camouflage pattern “Pea Dot”.

SS-Oberführer Walter Harzer

Perhaps this picture of 9ss Hohenstaufen commanding officer SS-Oberführer Walter Harzer, seen here driving a captured jeep at Arnhem, is worthy of being a “Featured Picture”:

In April 1943, Harzer was assigned to the 9ss Panzer Division Hohenstaufen. The division participated in relief attack on Tarnopol and later took part in the Battle of Caen. On 19 August 1944, Harzer was decorated with the German Cross in Gold for his leadership during the operations in Normandie.

As Hohenstaufen was ordered for a refit in the Netherlands, Walter Harzer became its fifth commander, taking over for SS-Oberführer Friedrich-Wilhelm bock. However, on Sunday 17 September 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market Garden and Harzer’s division was engaged in the Battle of Arnhem. Harzer was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions during these battles.

On 10 October 1944 Harzer left Hohenstaufen and went on to become the Chief of Staff of V SS Mountain Corps before receiving the command of the 4th SS Polizei Division at the end of November 1944. Together with the rest of this division Harzer surrendered to the American Army near Wittenberge-Lenzen, Germany on 8 May 1945.

After the war Harzer worked as an official historian for HIAG, an organization of former Waffen-SS members. He helped coordinate the writing of numerous tendentious unit histories and memoirs by former Waffen-SS officers.

Harzer died after a heart failure in Stuttgart hospital on 29 May 1982 (Ref: Wikipedia).