Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel
|
|
Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel Keitel was one of the most senior
officers in the German Wehrmacht, and functioned as
the head of the German High Command.
He was intimately involved in all plans and operations of the armed
forces during the war and was constantly at Hitler’s side. While he did have record of
voicing his opinion against some of Hitler’s most disastrous campaigns
(like the war with Keitel was not particularly loved
or respected by his peers as a result of his penchant to be a yes man to
Hitler, and was often referred to as “Lackeitel”
in reference to being Hitler’s lackey. The allies were not too fond of him
either, as they sentenced him to death for war crimes and hung him at
Nuremburg. From a collectors
standpoint, Keitel did not have any unique features about his uniforms or
insignia, and tended to stay with regulation. Because of his notoriety, closeness to
Hitler and senior standing as what was basically the war minister of the
entire Wehrmacht, his surviving memorabilia is of
great interest and value to those in the hobby. It is also of great quality, as one
must remember that those in the presence of Hitler tended to always wear
their best uniforms and insignia. |
Keitel’s
Insignia Grouping
(Wolfe-Hardin collection)
Shoulderboards
|
|
|
Generalfeldmarschall
Keitel’s shoulderboards are of standard 1940
- 1941 style with the basic General officer intertwined gold and silver
cords, with crossed batons of the 2nd pattern. |
|
|
|
Close-up of the highly detailed, 1940 2nd
pattern batons in the army pattern with alternating iron crosses and wehrmacht eagles.
These batons exhibit one of the two die patterns known to have been
used on army baton devices. |
|
|
|
A loose set of shoulderboard batons that came with the same
Keitel grouping, with this pair of batons exhibiting the other die
pattern. Note how it appears that
these batons may have had the swastikas removed. |
Collar
Tabs
|
|
|
This pair of collar tabs is one of the most common
encountered Generalfeldmarschall patterns and is
often seen on the GFM uniforms in the official studio portraits of the
time. They are of the highest
quality embroidery and extremely consistent in manufacture. |
Generalfeldmarschall Keitel Command Flags
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
