Original Item: One-of-a-kind. We've had quite a few personal photo albums and similar German WWII items previously, but this is probably the first personal portrait painting that we have had! In the frame it measures 22" x 28", with the exposed canvas measuring 17" x 23". We do not have any identification regarding the person in the painting, but they look to be a fairly typical German, wearing a popular hairstyle of the time. The bottom right corner of the painting is signed with the artists name, which might be "Ein Grössigjossy"?? We unfortunately cannot make out the last name, however the date is fairly clearly 1945.

The subject is wearing a standard M-36 Field Tunic, and the the silver tresse around the collar and style of litzen indicates that they are a Non-Commissioned Officer in the Heer (Army). The NCO schulterklappen (shoulder straps) have the tresse on 3 of 4 sides, which indicate the Junior NCO rank of Unteroffizier (Under Officer), equivalent to a U.S. Army Sergeant.

The piping around the shoulder straps and the central color of the litzen is Rosa (Rose-pink), which was the Waffenfarbe (corps color) during WWII for Panzer (Armored Troops) and Panzerjäger (Tank Destroyers) troops. In this case, the gothic "P" on the shoulder straps is definitive for a Panzerjäger Anti-Tank trooper. Also of note is that the green background color and colored NCO litzen indicate that the uniform is in the 1938 style, as earlier the shoulder straps did not have rounded ends, and later the litzen for NCO would not have colors added. It is definitely possible however that the artist took some liberties, such as with the golden award on the left chest, which we have not been able to identify. Under it looks to be a wound badge in Black.

Definitely an interesting piece of WW2 Memorabilia! Ready to research and display!