Luftwaffe Troops at Stalingrad

Image size: 1600 x 1071 pixel. 407 KB
Date: Saturday, 19 September 1942
Place: Suburb of Minina, Stalingrad, Stalingrad Oblast, Soviet Union
Photographer: Kriegsberichter Rothkopf (PK Lfl. 4)

First published in 22 October 1942, this picture shows Luftwaffe troops securing areas recently overran by Soviet troops at Stalingrad, September 1942 (note MP 40 submachine gun!). Also note that the officer in the foreground wearing a tie: correct dress code amid chaos! Page 192 of Jason D. Mark's excellent book "Angriff: The Attack on Stalingrad in Photos" identifies the officer as Oberleutnant der Reserve Helmut Wilhelm Schnatz, Chef of 3.Batterie/Flak-Regiment 25. Date is September 19,1942 and the location is suburb of Minina. The short bio of Schnatz: SCHNATZ, Helmut (Helmut Wilhelm). (DOB: 09.12.15 in Hombruch, Krs. Dortmund-Land). (R). 04.04.36 began service in the RAD (to 30.09.36). 03.11.37 assigned to 4./FEA 34 in Münster-Handorf for basic training. 20.03.38 trf to 7./Flak-Rgt. 14 in Bonn. 16.11.38 trf to 2./le.Flak—Abt. 84 in Bonn. 22.08.39 trf to 5./Reserve-Flak-Abt. 391. 01.10.39 promo to Wachtmeister. 01.12.39 promo to Lt.d.R. 01.08.40 appt Batterie-Offizier in le.Reserve-Flak-Batterie 9/VII B.O. 16.11.40 appt Zugführer in le.Reserve-Flak-Batterie 9/VII B.O. 01.05.41 appt Ordannanz-Offizier in Stab/Reserve-Flak-Abt. 392. (n.d.) trf to Flak-Rgt. 181. 01.03.42 promo to Oblt.d.R. 30.04.42 trf to Flak-Rgt. 25 (mot). 23.06.42 Oblt.d.R. appt Führer 3./Flak-Rgt. 25 (mot). 19.09.42 KIA 5 km SE of Pescanka near Stalingrad. 17.10.42 Oblt.(d.R.), posthumously awarded Ritterkreuz, 3./Flak-Rgt. 25 (mot). So, in the same day that the picture taken, Schnatz was killed on the other side of the city. This could be his last picture!

Source:
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B22478
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-B22478,_Stalingrad,_Luftwaffen-Soldaten_in_Ruinen.jpg