Interesting German Photos

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Elven6

Heh, thanks for sharing! Pictures of Allied soldiers relaxing and doing such things are a common site, it's not often you come across photos of "the other side" doing the same.

Well, soldiers are pretty much the same the world over. Give them a chance to relax and they will always make the most of it.

Its been said the Wehrmacht took as many cameras into the field as they did rifles. A bit of a stretch perhaps, but they did take a lot of photos and this collection is just small part.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Paul Reed

Hi Paul - didn't know you were a member here. I very much enjoy your posts over at WW2 Zone. You've posted some great photos!

Hiya Paul. Yeah, Gott sent me an invite a while back but I was kinda busy and did not have a chance to spend much time here.

Thanks, I'm something of a photo nut.

[Elven6]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Well, soldiers are pretty much the same the world over. Give them a chance to relax and they will always make the most of it.

Its been said the Wehrmacht took as many cameras into the field as they did rifles. A bit of a stretch perhaps, but they did take a lot of photos and this collection is just small part.

That's true, although most of society is essentially "brain washed" to think otherwise.

That probably has something to do with Hitler essentially saying "This Reich Will Last One Thousand Years" prompting the Nazi party to catalog everything. Although the statement is mostly attributed to the wrong doings of the SS, it's good to see the "average Joe" was also a part of the catalog process.

Thanks again for sharing, how did you come across these images if you don't mind me asking?

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Elven6

That's true, although most of society is essentially "brain washed" to think otherwise.

That probably has something to do with Hitler essentially saying "This Reich Will Last One Thousand Years" prompting the Nazi party to catalog everything. Although the statement is mostly attributed to the wrong doings of the SS, it's good to see the "average Joe" was also a part of the catalog process.

Thanks again for sharing, how did you come across these images if you don't mind me asking?

Agreed, and might I add that most of society needs to be reeducated in that thinking. The average German soldat was no different from the average GI or Tommy in my opinion. My entire family of the last generation fought in arms for the Reich but not a one was a party member.

These photos were passed on to me by someone I meet on another site who claimed he had collected them for years from various sources, then offered to send to me. To be honest, I doubted him because to took close to year but one day I opened an email and found a huge zip file.

Some of them have been seen around the web, others are quite rare and all were taken by common soldiers rather than PK. Many of them are of comrades being buried, food, mud and stuff many would view as trivial, but meant the world to a soldier in the field.

I think the best thing about them is we see these people the way they saw themselves. Perhaps the most common comment I get on them is, "Hey, they' were a lot like our guys".

[Elven6]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Agreed, and might I add that most of society needs to be reeducated in that thinking. The average German soldat was no different from the average GI or Tommy in my opinion. My entire family of the last generation fought in arms for the Reich but not a one was a party member.

These photos were passed on to me by someone I meet on another site who claimed he had collected them for years from various sources, then offered to send to me. To be honest, I doubted him because to took close to year but one day I opened an email and found a huge zip file.

Some of them have been seen around the web, others are quite rare and all were taken by common soldiers rather than PK. Many of them are of comrades being buried, food, mud and stuff many would view as trivial, but meant the world to a soldier in the field.

I think the best thing about them is we see these people the way they saw themselves. Perhaps the most common comment I get on them is, "Hey, they' were a lot like our guys".

I agree 100%, it's a shame those who were innocent of the atrocities associated with the Nazi party are being looked upon as criminals, butchers, scum, etc while a "GI, Tommy, etc" who may have been responsible for rape, murder, etc is seen has a hero by society. I've actually gotten into a few heated debates myself with people, try to explain to them how the war is not as clear cut as they are told, some understand while others remain stubborn.

Not sure if this is a isolated incident or not, but in Blood Red Snow Memoirs, Gunther Koschorrek writes about how badly German soldiers who fought in the war were treated, essentially for lack of a better term like "scum".

I find "personal" pictures are a better representation, those taken by the media at times are heavily censored when they get back home. Growing up the education system really makes WW2 look like "your grandfathers war" in terms of how the soldiers acted. It's funny how from many of these personal pictures they acted as, well how a soldier may have acted in Vietnam or even Iraq/Afganistan today! It's like there....like us!!

[militarycross]

Originally Posted by von Poop

I've seen that bear picture before somewhere...
can't for the life of me remember where though.

I think that is the bear who went on to star in the Coke commercials.

and thanks for sharing the great pictures.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Elven6

I agree 100%, it's a shame those who were innocent of the atrocities associated with the Nazi party are being looked upon as criminals, butchers, scum, etc while a "GI, Tommy, etc" who may have been responsible for rape, murder, etc is seen has a hero by society. I've actually gotten into a few heated debates myself with people, try to explain to them how the war is not as clear cut as they are told, some understand while others remain stubborn.

Not sure if this is a isolated incident or not, but in Blood Red Snow Memoirs, Gunther Koschorrek writes about how badly German soldiers who fought in the war were treated, essentially for lack of a better term like "scum".

I find "personal" pictures are a better representation, those taken by the media at times are heavily censored when they get back home. Growing up the education system really makes WW2 look like "your grandfathers war" in terms of how the soldiers acted. It's funny how from many of these personal pictures they acted as, well how a soldier may have acted in Vietnam or even Iraq/Afganistan today! It's like there....like us!!

"Scum" would pretty much sum it up from the accounts I have heard related, but usually not at the hands of other front line troops. My own father was captured by the Soviets and felt his treatment by fellow soldiers was very good. He had a great story about an very compassionate Russian nurse he and others had named "The Angel". It was the rear area thrash and political officers that proved to be the brutal ones. Just as with the Wehrmacht.

There was good and bad on all sides. Its not until that is understood that one can truly see the whole picture.

[Smudger Jnr]

[quote=cyberia;163495
There was good and bad on all sides. Its not until that is understood that one can truly see the whole picture.[/quote]

I could not agree more. Normal reflections of society.
The good the bad and the indifferent.

Regards
Tom