No prob ..I read your post the wrong way too and my apologies as well .And I agree there are so many period made screw-ups out there that if it wasn't for the photos ..we'd doubt every variation we'd see. My TK Tunic came from the Vet with a Political Eagle on the Visor. But , that's how it was when (he admitted) he took it out of the guys closet in 45.
When it comes to General Officers however , I think there's less of the Tailor screw-ups because an Ego was involved (big Egos)...these guys wanted to look sharp and really tried to go by the book. Or (like Rommel) create a personalized look ..but still be above the criticism. I bet a room full of Generals would sound like old ladies ..."Did you see Hans's Tunic ? Vat da Hell is dat ?"
About 15 years ago I met a FJ Lt. that served with Skorzeny (he was in on the Musso deal) ..by accident. He ended up in Alaska after the War ...anyway , I asked him about Otto's Uniform. He said that it was standard practice for the higher ups (on front line duty) to take Enlisted Tunics and add the insignia themselves and beat the Hell out of them rather than wear an expensive Tailored Tunic and destroy it ...picture how many of those Tunics would be labeled Fake if they surfaced today !
Since many of us started collecting a long time ago (I got my first helmet when I was 8 ..41 years ago , ugh)I think we are really lucky because we still have items that came right from the Vets and have not been played with ..we can use these for ref examples. But with over 60+ years of items being played with,altered and outright fakes ...everyone is paranoid , and at today's prices ...I don't blame them.
Unfortunately the hobby has changed to more of an investment and we all want to know and be sure that the items we buy ..are the real deal.
It was so much easier back in 1970 when the Fake Medals had "GERMANY" in English and in bas-relief on the back ..remember those ?
Anyway ..sorry again about the misunderstanding..
talk soon
--Mike
