Original World War 2 Photograph 13th Waffen SS Mountain Division/1st Croatian

A very rare original 1943 picture of a member of the 13th Waffen SS Mountain division, also known as the 1st Croatian. The division, also known as the Handschar/Handsar, was recruited mostly from Bosnian Muslims along with some Croats, especially amongst its officer core. Due to a lack of enthusiasm for enlistment many Bosnians (and Albanians) were forced to join. This culminated in a mutiny in France in 1943 (the same year this was taken) during training -5 German officers were killed before control was re-established. About 1000 of its members were then killed or sent off to slave labor and concentration camps in Germany, after which the division participated in the SS' activities in the Balkans. It is stamped in back with the German eagle, a swastika and the number 43. From the insignia on his collar, this is a Hauptscharführer (Chief Squad Leader), an NCO rank. He has the Croatian flag on his right sleeve. He looks quite young for his rank and wears a fez with a death's head. The piece is 4 7/8" tall and 3 3/8" wide.