by Morley Evans
Do you know who are these three men?
We can tell several things from this picture.
First, this picture was taken at a formal occasion of high-ranking Germans between 1935 and 1945. Our main clue is the central figure who is Hermann Goering. He is wearing his Oberkommando Luftwaffe uniform which features a wide stripe on his pants leg consistent with the generals of the Wehrmacht, the Riechswehr, and the Prussian army. Goering is wearing his Blue Max medal that was awarded during WW I. It wasn't given to fools. Goering would have been 48 years old in 1941 when everything was going well for Nazi Germany. Goering was 5'10" tall, but he is much shorter than the men who flank him. Goering is starting to put on weight; he looks fat.
Second, the man on the left side of Goering (Goering's right) is a Wehrmacht general. We know he is a general by the broad stripe on his pants leg and by the three stars on his collar. He is the most senior general after a field marshall. Compared to Goering, he would be about 6'4". He looks younger than Goering. There would not have been that many Wehrmacht senior generals. It may be possible to identify him.
Third, the man to the left of Goering is very tall; possibly 6'8" or even 6'9". All three men are wearing uniforms. This man is wearing a dark pinstriped six-button double-breasted suit (no cuffs) with a tie and wing-tip shirt collar. This is not Savile Row or even French tailoring; nevertheless, his dress and his bearing illustrate he outranks both Goering and the general. Goering is amused by what this man is telling his subordinates. The general is listening politely.
We can see a crowded ballroom through the open French doors. A chandelier hangs above. It is lit, indicating it is evening.
Who outranked Hermann Goering and a general of the Wehrmacht? Hitler did. This isn't Hitler. Did he exceed Hitler? Who is he?
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