Adolf Hitler with Waffen-SS Officers and GFM Erich von Manstein (?)

Original wartime photograph depicting Adolf Hitler accompanied by senior Waffen-SS officers and likely Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein during a frontline visit or command inspection. The group is dressed in field and leather greatcoats, with accompanying adjutants and security personnel in the background. Staff vehicles and military buildings are visible behind them.

• Date: ca. 1942–1943

• Size: approx. 9 × 6.5 cm

• Condition: Very good. Light handling wear consistent with age; strong contrast and clarity.

Historical Context

This photograph likely captures one of Hitler’s field visits to inspect front-line positions and confer with senior command staff during key Eastern Front operations. Such visits were rare and tightly controlled, often involving high-ranking Heer and Waffen-SS leaders, including commanders like von Manstein, who played a central role in the campaigns in southern Russia and the Crimea.

The presence of Waffen-SS officers alongside Hitler highlights the growing prominence of SS formations in major operations by mid-war, as well as their close coordination with army command structures.

Collector’s Note

A striking and historically important original photograph featuring Adolf Hitler in the field with senior Waffen-SS and Wehrmacht leadership—possibly including Feldmarschall Erich von Manstein. Such images, particularly from Eastern Front inspections, are rare and highly sought after by collectors of Third Reich leadership, command photography, and Hitler’s wartime visits.

An exceptional addition to any advanced collection of WWII Führerbesuche, Waffen-SS, or Eastern Front photographic material.