Please identify the rank and military unit of the man in the picture:

http://www.ebholding.com/media/GermanySmall.jpg (about 18K)
http://www.ebholding.com/media/Germany.jpg (about 1.8MB)

During WWII, the man in the picture was in Split, Yugoslavia. What is
the likely role played by his unit?

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Request for Question Clarification by politicalguru-ga on 04 Dec 2005 11:28 PST

Dear Elidb, 

- Rank: I could not identify the rank, although I am almost sure it is
a colonel, because the angle of the shoulders (you cannot really see
what ranks are on the shoulders).

- Unit: The person belongs to the Wehrmacht, and to the ground forces
(artillery???, or so it seems) in it. However, without any other
insignia, it would be difficult to say more

- However, I could probably tell you a lot about what the Wehrmacht
has done in Split.

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Clarification of Question by elidb-ga on 05 Dec 2005 00:08 PST

I thought he may be a 1st Lt - although the shape on his arm looks
more like a square than a star. I know he was in the Vehrmacht, but
wondering if you can site the specific division? Was he likely to have
been conscripted? What role would he have likely played in Split?

BTW, Does the round bullseye symbol on his visor mean anything?

I beg to differ with Politicalguru.  From these sites, it appears that
the rank is that of 1st lieutenant or captain.  Field grade officers
had braid in their shoulder boards.  Looking at his right shoulder, it
appears that there is only one "star"  = 1st lieutenant/Oberleutnant:

http://www.nuav.net/SS-insignia.html
http://www.packrat-toyz.com/Reference/heer.htm

Myoarin

Eli,
You are right, if you see the thing on his shoulder more as a square
or diamond-shape, it should be (see the links).  I did too, wondering
if it had twisted.  The bullseye doesn't mean anything  - I believe -
except that he wasn't in an SS division.  There don't seem to be any
insignia that can can identify a division.  I am wondering if the
photo was an ID or portrait made before he was assigned to a division.

The individual pictured was most likely in the Wehrmacht, and more
specifically, das Heer (the Army) - which seems pretty certain.

As to his rank:

His shoulder boards are made up of soutache braids  (sometimes called
Russia braids).  The braids have metallic threads in the form of a
'V,' with a depression down the center giving the impression of two
braids on each board.  This was typical of Basic Officers of the
Wehrmacht.  A higher ranking Officer would have different shoulder
boards.  For instance:

A Company-Grade Officer, such as a Hauptmann (Captain), would have a
shoulder board consisting of two braids attached to the underlay
parallel to each other, giving the impression of eight individual
strands.

Field-Grade Officers would have two parallel rows of Russia braid on
an underlay, but the braid is interwoven or braided. There are five
'bends' or 'loops' on each side of the board, and a loop at the top
for the button.

General Officers would have three interwoven cords, the outer two
being a round gold bullion (later Celleon) cord and the center a
silver or aluminum flat soutache braid. There are four loops on each
side of the board, and one at the top for the button.

It is therefore apparant that the individual pictured is a junior
officer, most likely an Oberleutnant since at least one diamond is
present, and were he a Hauptmann, his shoulder board would likely have
looked different.

The ability to view the shoulder board from above would have resulted
in my ability to determine the unit.  I apologise that I am unable to
assist you in that area.

i was unable to look at the pic thoroughly.. but on the other hand i
could see the cap and the insignia on the right chest side is the
luftwaffe (airforce) this was a piolet in the Nazi German Army in the
time span of 1939-1944..the Luftwaffe was extremly weakend by the
british and the american forces he was well respected and was not a
caption but a lutenet by the stance he is faced to the camera left
shoulder first so there for is a lutenett cuz captians were posed
shoulders even  but what do i know i am just a person that has german
ancestors that faught in the war and probally in the same division as
this man in the pic my family is over extended and so i know a lot of
german history but i agree with the first gentlemen on where he was
located and his regiment