'Downfall' Question

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Pirkka
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Location: Middlesbrough, N.Yorks

'Downfall' Question

Post by Pirkka »

Just watching this film on satellite - I noticed the General Weidling character wearing puttees with his field uniform. Was he a former Gebirgsjager or was this just the sort of affectation that Generals can get away with (ie Monty's beret, Patton being a c%@t)?
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grenadier heeder

Post by grenadier heeder »

I think he must have been a mountain trooper at some time although he wasn't wearing an edelweiss anywhere. I have a photo of another General, Dietl who famously got the Army out of the ka-ka in Norway and he is wearing puttees and cleated boots.
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SS-Schutze Schuller
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Post by SS-Schutze Schuller »

Errrrr.... downfall..... dot 44 helmet covers.... errr!
grenadier heeder

Post by grenadier heeder »

Glad I'm not the only one who's spotted that!
Hoffman Grink

Post by Hoffman Grink »

LOL - "SPOTTED" that! LOL :lol:
Oh you dry old dog you!
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Maus Commander
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Post by Maus Commander »

General Helmuth Weidling commanded the following during the Second World War:

56th Artillery Regiment.

April 1940; Appointed artillery commander of the XXXX Panzer Corps.

1 January 1942; Appointed to command the 86th Infantry Division.

20 October 1943; became the Commanding General of the XXXXI Panzer Corps.

10 April 1945; Weidling was relieved of his command and transferred to the Führerreserve.

12 April 1945; Commander of LVI Panzer Corps.

23rd April 1945; Kommandant of the Berlin Garrison.

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I think the 86th is a mountaineering Division, what little I can find of it appears to focus near to Austria, so, I assume it had some mountaineering training.
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Pirkka
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Post by Pirkka »

As I pointed out with Monty and Patton, you can wear pretty much what you like when you get to that level. Puttees are bloody uncomfortable things to wear, though, and I couldn't imagine anybody wearing them out of choice.
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