Figure 1.--We note many photographs taken by the German soldiers that overran the western Soviet Union during Barbarossa. We are unsure why the Germans took these photographs. And because they are being sold in countries formed from the Soviet Union, how they got in Soviet hands.

We notice large numbers of photographs that the Geran soldiers took of Soviet civilans. Most of these photographs were taken rural areas rather than in the cities. And they look to us to have been taken during Barbarossa in 1941, not subsequently in the War. Many of these photgraphs come from the Ukraine, although they may not have been taken there. Soviet armies overran and largely destroyed the Wehrmacht in five major offensives during 1944. This leads us to the question of how German photographs came into Soviet hands. Perhaps the personal affect of German soldiers were obtained in these offensives. Or perhsaps Soviet soldiers brought back German war albums as personal war booty. German soldiers were no susposed to have personl cameras and take photgraphs, at least in war zones. But apparently many did. I think this could have mostly been officers. We are not entirely sure of their motives. The fact that they mostly took photographs in rural areas, commonly of ragged men and children suggests that they were recording the poverty and backwardness of the society that they were destroying. These images seem to confirm many of the basic NAZI prejudices about their superiority and Soviet and Slavic backwardness. The expressions on the faces of the civilins do not seem to be one of fear. Rather the impression one gets is tht the civilians had not idea what the German goals were. It should also be remembered that only near the final phase of Barbarossa did the Germns move into areas populsated by ethnic Russians. One notable observation is that the Soviet rural population looked ragged, they were often dressed warmly--something that could not be said about the invading Germans.

Photographs of Soviet Civilians during Barbarossa

We notice large numbers of photographs that the German soldiers took of Soviet civilans. Most of these photographs were taken rural areas rather than in the cities. And they look to us to have been taken during Barbarossa in 1941, not subsequently in the War. Many of the photographs unfortunately are not identified as to where they were taken or who took them. Notably many wre taken in areas not populted ny ethnic Russians. This is because the areas of the Soviet Union seized by the Germans were the western areas populated by Balts, Poles, White Russians, and Ukranians. We see quite a number of these photographs being sold by photo dealers. We do not see similar photographs being talen in the West during the German offensive there (May-June 1940).

Soviet Possession

Many of these photgraphs are being sold from the Ukraine, although they may not have been taken there. Soviet armies overran and largely destroyed the Wehrmacht in five major offensives during 1944. This leads us to the question of how German photographs came into Soviet hands. Perhaps the personal affect of German soldiers were obtained in these offensives. Or perhsaps Soviet soldiers brought back German war albums as personal war booty. Or perhaps the KGB collected them.

German Soldier Photography

Here we are discussing the personal photographs taken by individual German soldiers on the Eastern Front. This is destinct from the photographs taken by Wehrmacht battlefield photographers. German soldiers were not susposed to have personal cameras and take photgraphs, at least combat soldiers in war zones. I believe there were Wehrmacht regulations about this. They seem to have been widely ignored. Apparently many soldiers did take photographs. Photography was very popular in Germany and many Germans had cameras, often excellent cameras. There are even photographs of the attrocities the Germans were committed which was also against regulations. Most of the photographs oicture barracks life and occupation duty. There are also sight sightseeing photographs. In tge East there were many photograohs of the local people eho seemed so alien o the advancung Germans who cinsidered themselves mire civilized. Many Germans not only took photographs, but they or their wives prepared photograph albums of their exploits. We suspect that many of these photographs were destoyed as Soviet Armies approached the Reich. I think these photographs taken in the Soviet Union were mostly taken by officers, but we have seen photgraphs of enlisted soldiers with cameras. Many phptographs and albums were found by the Soviets in the disorderly Wehrmacht retreats west. Some msy have also been seized during the occupation.

German Soldier Motives

We are not entirely sure of the motives of the German soldiers who took these photographs. The fact that they mostly took photographs in rural areas of the peasantry, commonly of ragged men, women, and children suggests that they were recording the poverty and backwardness of the society that they were destroying. Certainly novelty was a factor. Some of these photographs seem rather like those a tourist might take when viiting a poor country. Coming from Germany they would not have been familiar with such backwardness and poverty. Novely encourages photography. These images also seem to confirm many of the basic NAZI prejudices about their superiority and Soviet and Slavic backwardness.

Soviet Civilian Attitudes

The German photographs taken in 1941 are a remarkable record of a people being conquered without fully comprehending what was happning. The expressions on the faces of the civilins do not seem to be one of fear. Rather the impression one gets is tht the civilians had not idea what the German goals were. It should also be remembered that only near the final phase of Barbarossa did the Germns move into areas populsated by ethnic Russians. One notable observation is that the Soviet rural population looked ragged, they were often dressed warmly--something that could not be said about the invading Germans.

Created: 1:29 AM 9/23/2007
Last updated: 9:41 PM 11/4/2014