Del Prado Spanish Volunteer Lieutenant 1942: A Spanish Subject in German Service

Del Prado · Second World War · Spanish volunteers, 1942

The saluting pose and red headgear make this lieutenant distinct from Del Prado’s other German-uniformed subjects. His identification concerns Spain’s volunteers in German service, rather than the earlier Spanish Civil War.

Place the volunteer in the right conflict

The Blue Division served in the German army against the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Spanish archival records identify it with the 1941–43 period. A Spanish volunteer dated 1942 therefore belongs to that Eastern Front context, not automatically to Spain’s Civil War of the previous decade.

The dealer describes this figure as a volunteer lieutenant, and the Men at War subject list supplies the connection with Germany’s Spanish volunteers. Preserve the combination of nationality, service and date. It is more informative than filing him simply as a German officer.

A formal gesture in muted clothing

The reference photograph shows a standing officer in a dark grey-green uniform, red headgear and dark boots. One arm is raised in a salute while the other remains at his side. The red cap or beret supplies the strongest colour accent above a relatively plain torso.

That gesture is a useful identification clue, but it also creates a vulnerable projection. Compare the elbow angle and the hand’s position against the head before deciding that another saluting officer is the same model. Tiny badges may be too indistinct in a listing to settle the question.

Condition and an accurate comparison

Ask for a close photograph of the raised hand, headgear and sleeve. A repair at the wrist can be hidden where the hand overlaps the head. Inspect the uniform front, belt and boots for chips or heavy retouching.

In a twentieth-century Spanish group, place this lieutenant apart from Civil War infantry and the earlier Spanish Legion subject. Clear dates help show that similar national labels cover different conflicts and military organisations.

The salute looks best with a little open space around the upper arm. Keep the figure from facing directly into another model’s projecting weapon. For a collection photograph, a three-quarter angle exposes the arm’s shape while retaining the red headgear and uniform front. Record the longer identification alongside the image so the service context survives if the model becomes separated from its original packaging.

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