On December 18, 1944, travelling on the road between Post and Recht, an American convoy of the 14th Cavalry group under the command of Major J.L. Meyes was successfully ambushed by Kampfgruppe Hansen of mainly I Battalion / 1st Reg LSSAH. Two American soldiers (radio operator Sgt. Charles L. Yost and driver Henry A. Brueninger) were killed while the German commander was injured.
After the fight was over, the Germans seized the opportunity to have film and photographs for propaganda, using reenactors in the vicinity to act out the scene again. Most of the soldiers in the photos came from the 2. Kompanie / 1st Pz.Gren.Rgt. LSSAH.
Research has shown that the swag Rottenfuhrer NCO was part of a Gruppe in the Fahrradzug (bicycles), Stabskompanie, and that earlier on in the day, the bicycles of his platoon had been loaded on trucks while the men hitched a ride on the rear decks of Sd.Kfz. 241/ and /3 armoured personal carriers, present in the Stabskompanie. This accounted for the lack of personal gear as these items were kept in the vehicles.
Further research by Jean-Paul Pallud identified him as newly promoted SS-Untersturmführer Siegfried Stiewe (on that very day itself), an adjutant of the SS-Pz.AA1 LSSAH (He was KIA in March 1945.)
The figure
It was very interesting to realise this 1/6th scale character based on the propaganda film and still photograph. My research noted that the swaggering Rottenführer had carefully draped his captured US raincoat to display his assortment of medals such as the Close Combat Clasp (Nahkampfspange), Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz), Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen), Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen) on his tunic. As such some time was spend looking for the said medals in 1/6th scale.
The figure's helmet was given a thin acrylic paint whitewash while the winter torque as well as the raincoat were customised and modified. His pea-dotted camo pants were weathered with a thin wash of light gray acrylic paint. The Rottenführer's issued Model 1939 marching boots denotes a veteran.
Above: Dec 2019 Update: Finessed figure with modified and repainted raincoat, and repainted/enhanced headsculpt.
Sources:
Bundesarchiv photos and Wochenschau clips