Gen Georg Keppler

Ducky316 · #1 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2007, 01:40 PM

Among my deceased father in laws things, I've found something that is very interesting and was curious as to it's worth.
It's a real photograph of General Georg Keppler.On the bottom is the date, May 15, 1945, the name Maj Gen Keppler SS and "I got the old bastards boots" This is in my father in laws handwriting. As you can see when the photo was taken he was a general. Maybe my father in law didn't realize he was a General and not a Maj Gen, I don't know.The rank badges shown here are however one lower being Maj General. My husband can't remember exactly, but he thinks his father described it as being removed from another uniform found among the Kepplers things. The boots however were taken right from his feet, according to my father in law. I'd like to also note that according to wikipedia, Keppler "surrendered" to US forces on May 22, 1945, but as you can clearly see on the photo it was May 15 1945. I don't know if the confusion of a few days is important or not....
Anyway, here are the pictures...

Ducky316 · #2 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2007, 01:53 PM

Here are a few more photos of Keppler to show that it is indeed the same man...

Jim O · #3 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2007, 05:47 PM

Do you know how your father in law got access to this officer?

Ducky316 · #4 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2007, 07:18 PM

We have no clue, and unfortantley he passed away in 1996.

Klaus · #5 (**permalink**) August 22nd, 2007, 07:08 AM

Those are some nice boots. If I wasn't a mentally very stable person I would cry now.

Tom Houlihan · #6 (**permalink**) August 22nd, 2007, 07:34 AM

Klaus, I am relatively stable, mentally, and I did almost cry. I'd be happy with the photo/rank display!

Ducky316 · #7 (**permalink**) August 22nd, 2007, 07:49 AM

LOL would you might happen to know what something like this may fetch?

Tom Houlihan · #8 (**permalink**) August 22nd, 2007, 10:56 PM

Melanie, I am not a collector, so I can't help you. Not to undermine Jim's site here, but there are several collectors gathering on Feldpost.tv :: Index and you might find someone there to give you a decent appraisal. Axis History Forum :: Index also has a lot of collectors that might know.
There's another one, but I'll have to dig up the proper name.

Klaus · #9 (**permalink**) August 23rd, 2007, 04:22 AM

You could look at MILITARIA COLLECTING FORUM (Powered by Invision Power Board).

Ducky316 · #10 (**permalink**) August 23rd, 2007, 08:13 AM

Thanks Tom and Klaus! I appreciate it!