Question: Actor or Nazi?

MrNewportCustom · Mar 7, 2010

I have a question: I've been looking at this image for twelve years and I have no idea who it is. Was this man an actor or an actual Nazi? Because of the lighting, pose and photographic style, I'm going to guess that he was an actor, but who?

Because WWII and this photo occurred within the Golden Era, I figured this forum would be the best place to have my question answered.

Thank you,
Lee

matrioshka · Mar 7, 2010

Not Nazi, but Luftwaffe. Whoever he is, was awarded the Knight's Cross. Yellow collar tabs, so he's most likely a pilot.

Most of the KC holders have pictures online, you may be able to get a match.
A lot of them had professional portraits done.

M

Speedbird · Mar 8, 2010

he could be all three ... none are exclusive of the other...

Dixon Cannon · Mar 8, 2010

Nicht Nazi! Luftwaffe! That's the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.

I'm taking a stab at Luftwaffe Ace, Gordon Gollob. What thinks ye??!!

-dixon cannon

Nein, es ist nicht Gordon Gollob

sixties.nut · Mar 8, 2010

Looks Like

Eddy Albert Jr. in his younger days to me. lol A publicity photo from a Mel Brooks film, just can't remember which one.:eusa_doh:

sixties.nut · Mar 8, 2010

Then Again

could be Tom Selleck.

Dixon Cannon · Mar 8, 2010

Ja! Heinz Bar

Oder vielleicht, Heinz Bar???!! http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/bar.html

-dixon cannon

Bestätigt! Heinz Bar! http://www.dogfighter.com/pilots.html

W4ASZ · Mar 8, 2010

No Nazi !

This appears to be Heinrich Baer. Not a member of the NSDAP, Baer enjoyed thumbing his nose at authority, even Goering.

sixties.nut · Mar 8, 2010

Seems kind of Ironic don't it?

That the 19th time is a killer.lol Now I know why I never had the inclination to hit the watering hole after a long hot game. Great Pluck Dix, you internet sleuth.:eusa_clap

If you run into Billy Walker, let me know. He still owe's me five dollars!lol

23SkidooWithYou · Mar 8, 2010

Wow! What a beautiful face. I guess you've determined that he wasn't an actor, but, swoon, he sure might have been if he wanted to!

Speedbird · Mar 8, 2010

Luftwaffe Knights Cross Holders

(I think) it is almost certainly Heinz Bar ..... with 220 confirmed kills he was the 7th highest scoring Luftwaffe ace of WW2. He was also known as Pretzel, wore a B-3 Flight Jacket and is recorded to have shot down "Miss Ouachita", a B-17, his 184th kill. He hated Goering, flew Me 262's at one point having pretty much flown everyhing else and surrendered to the American's under Galland's instructions .... he was a test pilot amongst other things and was killed in a plane crash in 1957!

All in all, nationality and war aside, he probably would have enjoyed the FL!

Speedbird · Mar 8, 2010

bugger this place is fast ...

while I was busy typing three others had identified him!

Hurrah the Fedora Lounge - this place is amazing!

Dixon Cannon · Mar 8, 2010

23SkidooWithYou said:
Wow! What a beautiful face. I guess you've determined that he wasn't an actor, but, swoon, he sure might have been if he wanted to!

23SkidooWithYou, If you like Heinz you should look up Johannes 'Macky' Steinhoff, once called the "handsomest man in the Luftwaffe'.
Unfortuately his good looks let him down on 18 April 1945 when his Me-262 burst into flames on take-off. 'Macky' lived til the age of 80 with the scars from that crash.

-dixon cannon

Speedbird · Mar 8, 2010

swoon swoon..

23SkidooWithYou said:
Wow! What a beautiful face. I guess you've determined that he wasn't an actor, but, swoon, he sure might have been if he wanted to!

I hate to say this but when you start looking through the 'official' portrait photos of aces from WW2 there are so many cool handsome dudes aching to be on the silver screen ... a few ugly ducklings too.... but the Luftwaffe and USAAF certainly did have style and presence whereas the RAF did seem to have a 'jolly hockey sticks public school buffoonery' about them! Which is probably only annoying to me as an Englishman.

MrNewportCustom · Mar 8, 2010

I was right! This was the best forum for having my question answered. Thank you to all who participated. Particularly you, Dixon. I never would have found the answer on my own!

For the record, this photo is currently taped to the foam peanut hopper over the UPS station where I work (I've been packing and shipping the UPS orders for the past few months.) It's about twelve feet up and I had to stand on a step ladder to get a shot good enough to post here.

Leo, our retired foreman and a jokester at heart, as a joke on Harry - a retired employee and WWII afficianado - taped it up there before we moved to our current location. That was more than thirteen years ago. No one has ever commented on it, so there it stays; a small, vintage black and white tribute to two former employees that everyone loved.

Thank you, everyone!

sixties.nut · Mar 8, 2010

Yet Another Irony

Dixon Cannon said:
Unfortuately his good looks let him down on 18 April 1945

Thirteen days before the surrender. Odd huh?

Dixon Cannon · Mar 8, 2010

I really enjoy those impromptu scavenger hunts! I'm a researcher at heart, I guess! I AM tenacious!! lol

-dixon cannon

sixties.nut · Mar 8, 2010

Dix

Your a very good one at that. 'researcher'. Hey, I wasn't kidding about Bill. I'll split the five bucks with ya.lol

Speedbird · Mar 8, 2010

13 unlucky for some...

sixties.nut said:
Thirteen days before the surrender. Odd huh?

unlucky 13 for some, but Heinz Bar flew 13 on his planes by choice... and it worked for him ...well, until 1957 and i bet that light plane wasn't tagged '13'

odd how things go around and come around!

sixties.nut · Mar 8, 2010

It certainly does, and it also speaks volumes to commercial air of the times too.

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