Description
This is an original WWII-era photograph personally signed by Franz Josef Krombholz, an officer of the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division “Prinz Eugen” of the Waffen-SS. The photo is printed on period photographic paper and bears a clear, hand-signed inscription by Krombholz in fountain pen, making it a rare and historically significant collectible. The image captures Krombholz in uniform, wearing the distinct Waffen-SS field attire, including collar tabs and insignia associated with the division. Items like this—especially with original signatures—are increasingly difficult to find and offer a direct link to the controversial yet undeniably pivotal figures of the war.
The “Prinz Eugen” Division was formed primarily from ethnic German (Volksdeutsche) volunteers from the Balkans and saw extensive anti-partisan action across Yugoslavia between 1942 and 1945. Noted for their involvement in brutal counterinsurgency operations against Tito’s Partisans, the division became infamous for its effectiveness and the harsh tactics employed. Franz Josef Krombholz served as a decorated officer within this unit, and this signed photo stands as a somber artifact tied to the complex history of the Balkan Campaign.
