German photos of the Great Patriotic War 1941g-1943g

A large number of photographs taken by German officers while attempting to conquer the USSR. The collection includes photos of Wehrmacht soldiers, destroyed vehicles, local residents of occupied villages and cities, captured Soviet soldiers, photos of cities at the time of their capture by Wehrmacht troops.

Click on the photo to enlarge

Comments

[Dart weyder]

oh, I have these Teutons ................... but we know the result!)))

[vostok]

WHO WILL COME TO US WITH A SWORD, THAT WILL DIE FROM THE SWORD !!!
Glory to the people of the winner !!!
Glory to Russia !!!

[grizzlir]

It’s always interesting to see photos from the other side. I had some photos from the Chechen war, I found in the broken Niva. Apparently the first time the brave Chechens took pictures. With open faces, with daggers and hung with weapons. I had to hand over to a special department. It’s always interesting what became with these people, even if they are enemies.

[nezvaniy_gost]

I’m probably sitting in parliament somewhere)))

[schta]

There is no photo of Stalingrad ... sorry ...

[Dart weyder]

no problem! there he is:

[Olegovich]

There is a great variety of our equipment, KV, BT, and practically the whole one. They threw apparently often for non-combat reasons: they ran out of fuel, got stuck, turned over, ran out of ammunition. And don't lie to our historians that we didn't have real tanks, only tankettes with "cardboard armor" and "funny little fluffs". The Fritz treated our technology with great reverence. And then they fought on our own tanks, there are the same photos. It's just that in 41 we did not know how to fight, did not have intelligence, there was no reliable supply and communications. Here is the result. What a huge number of prisoners. And even in the eyes there is no fear, no hatred, no anger. One curiosity - what's next?
The conclusion suggests itself that the country's military leadership was terribly divorced from reality. Technicians riveted, but people, soldiers, fighters were not prepared. They drove the peasants without knowledge or skills, without providing sensible commanders.
It can be seen that the huge columns of our prisoners are guarded by two or three Nazis. They are not afraid that they will run away.
Here is the explanation for the enormous losses of the first years, months of the war. It was enough for the Fritz to bomb, destroy infrastructure, communications, take in ticks - and that’s all, morale was broken. Indeed, with rare exceptions, they surrendered to regiments and divisions. Fearfully. I am terribly sorry, insulting for our mediocrity, idiocy, stupidity. How could we ???
And from other chronicles there was information that the Fritz at first did not know where to put a huge number of prisoners, they simply did not expect !!! They found a solution - concentration camps and furnaces.

[Georg Shep]

I am terribly sorry, insulting for our mediocrity, idiocy, stupidity. How could we ???
There is a good Russian proverb - "The fish rots from the head."
It is necessary to know, remember and not forget that war and military operations, by iron bonds, are connected with the political-state system of power in the country and its attitude towards the people. It is from this that we must first of all start when we ask ourselves similar questions. Much immediately falls into place.

[EvilLion]

Yes, it’s a shame for your stupidity.

[Drednout]

Olegitch, a lot of Fritz shot the same technique from different angles. For example, with one T-28, I found at least 26 photos at different times and from any angle. But in the first months, the losses were undoubtedly huge.

[Olegovich]

Yes, I saw a lot of photos. I am familiar with the question. This is not a matter of perspectives - it is complacency.

[Hans grohman]

Quote: Olegych

The conclusion suggests itself that the country's military leadership was terribly divorced from reality. Technicians riveted, but people, soldiers, fighters were not prepared. They drove the peasants without knowledge or skills, without providing sensible commanders ...

If you are really interested in this issue, and not idlely lament, then here's a link to you http://radosvet.net/11436-izmena-1941-goda.html
Highly recommend reading.

[Olegovich]

I read. Several points of view already have a place to be.

[Olegovich]

Read. I agree. Explains a lot. And the most important thing is that it is difficult to object.

[Zynaps]

Quote: Olegych

Fritz belonged to our technique with great reverence.

it depends on which one. "Betashki", which made up the bulk of the tank fleet, were morally obsolete.

Quote: Olegych

We just didn’t know how to fight in the 41st, had no intelligence, there was no reliable supply and communication. Here is the result.

experts in attack! what about the correct determination of the direction of the main blow? it is not obvious. it’s hard to defend oneself. much harder than advancing. Read the basics of tactics.

Quote: Olegych

What a huge number of prisoners. Moreover, even in the eyes there is neither fear, nor hatred, nor anger. One curiosity - what's next?

because no one knew what the Germans were facing. people naively believed that the enemy would show humanism and would abide by all signed international agreements. and it’s how it turned out - almost 3 million people - the loss of only prisoners of war.

Quote: Olegych

The conclusion suggests itself that the country's military leadership was terribly divorced from reality.

Indeed? and in what? that the country was put on the rails of industrialization? The Red Army only in 1938 was transferred from the police uniform to the normal service. before that, the country's leadership had to remove conspirators and careerists from the army (see the "Spring" case).

Quote: Olegych

Technicians riveted, but people, soldiers, fighters were not prepared. They drove the peasants without knowledge or skills, without providing sensible commanders.

what bad people were sitting in the Kremlin. Vaughn, an expert from 2012 would instantly decide and equip everything ...

dude, the country was poor. I had to decide a lot of things at the same time. faced with many problems for the first time. educating millions of people is not a pound of raisins. before this, with great efforts, they solved the problem of agriculture so that the peasants not only learned how to feed themselves, but also the city. from which box will the necessary frames magically arise? the people who led the country were exactly the same yesterday’s lapotniks, only they tried to promote them according to their abilities. the Germans had a soldier with full secondary education. Germany went through industrialization 100 years before Russia. Well, now booty rumble?

Quote: Olegych

It can be seen that the huge columns of our prisoners are guarded by two or three Nazis.

on the set of German columns of prisoners of war, almost the same thing is visible.

Quote: Olegych

Here is the explanation for the enormous losses of the first years, months of the war.

dude, are you at least aware of the situation with road transport in the army before the war? there are tanks, but there are no cars necessary for the delivery of shells, fuel, infantry. and cars are needed not only in the army, but also in the national economy. or would you like the goods to be transported to your grandmother?

on June 22, 1941 it was still not obvious. the war was not expected until the summer of 1942, which was an objective indication. You see, ordinary people do not suffer from telepathy and the gift of foresight. this affects only experts who use aftertaste, but are not able to plan even their own day.

Quote: Olegych

It was enough for the Fritz to bomb, destroy infrastructure, communications, take in ticks - and that’s all, morale was broken.

Honor the Germans, wise guy. the bulk of the troops fought to the last, buried in the ground and fought. Germans for the first time noted that on the Eastern Front Russians are trying to break out of encirclement, or form troops for war in the German rear. teach the materiel, prosecutor!

Quote: Olegych

Fritz at first did not know where to put up a huge number of prisoners, just did not expect !!! They found a solution - concentration camps and furnaces.

for some reason, our conscience had enough to feed and abide by all the rules that apply to millions of German prisoners of war, although the Soviet leadership had its own claims to international agreements in this matter. so no dirt, son.

[Olegovich]

Based on the totality of the main evaluation parameters — weapons, maneuverability, and armor protection — the BT-7 (especially the BT-7M) can be considered successful [2] tanks. At the same time, contrary to popular belief, at the time of the beginning of World War II, the BT-7 tank was not obsolete [2]. Comparison of the tank with its distant "descendant" - T-34 - is incorrect in this regard, since these vehicles belonged to different classes of tanks. As for the Wehrmacht armored vehicles, although the obsolescence of the wheeled-tracked scheme was obvious [2], out of the same three main evaluation parameters, it exceeded German tanks in armament and maneuverability, slightly inferior in armor protection. Actually, at the time the war began, the only types of Wehrmacht tanks that completely surpassed the BT-7 in armor were only the latest modifications of the Pz III and Pz IV, which at that time were nominally classified as medium tanks. Again, given the difference in class, we can say that in its class (light tanks) BT-7 was superior to the armored vehicles available to the Wehrmacht. Some German light tanks (for example, late modifications of the D, E and F of the Pz II tank) partially exceeded the BT-7 in armor protection, but their 30-mm frontal armor made their way through all the tank and anti-tank guns of the Red Army at any aiming range. Thus, the BT-7 retained superiority in armament over these machines. The facts of the combat use of BT-7 also give reason to argue that in the initial period of the War, with competent tactics and good crew training, he could successfully resist all types of German tanks [2].Zynaps,

Quote: Zynaps

it depends on which one. "Betashki", which made up the bulk of the tank fleet, were morally obsolete.

[EvilLion]

Compared with the Pz-III, which after France switched to 50 mm driny, they had better armor protection and the equipment was simply incorrect. I repeat, for the dull, with well-armored tanks, the Germans met in France, and if you see a picture of the Pz-III and the miserable 37 mm little dog, then this car is no longer new.

[irony]

In the photo Dunkirk. 1940. And they let these people go home? Do not think that only we alone surrendered in droves. The Germans, especially at the beginning of the war, were much more mobile than our units. Especially considering the fact that fuel depots in the border areas were destroyed by 80%. On foot from the car can you go far?

[EvilLion]

Well, the French surrendered in droves, 95% of losses by prisoners. The Red Army has 60% in 41.

[ikrut]

I have not heard about the "surrendered by divisions". My father, being a snotty private soldier, got into the Kharkov boiler in 42nd. Alone came out with weapons and documents. Sometimes I talked about it. How they came out. how others gave up. Yes. Many were greatly demoralized. There was no organization. What kind of "divisions" are there? The father said - "as it became known about the encirclement, all the senior commanders disappeared somewhere immediately." Everything fell into small groups with informal leaders. There was a minimum of food and ammunition. Understanding of the tactics of actions in the environment - no. We went east. At random. Where they managed to organize themselves, they tried to resist and clashed. But without maps, rear, ammunition, reconnaissance, food, transport and much, much more - the effectiveness of resistance was extremely low. Those surrounded were quickly dispersed and captured. Those who were lucky and who really wanted to - still came out. A lot of people are out of luck. Although there were those who deliberately deserted. We had never heard of mass surrenders by "divisions". On the other hand, from other veterans who passed the 41st, they heard more than once about heroism and desperate, at the ordinary glance, "senseless" resistance. When people went to a clear death. Probably these who did not submit and did not surrender made the future VICTORY possible. Eternal MI Glory and Memory.

[veteran66]

Quote: ikrut

We had never heard of mass surrenders by "divisions".

I did not mean the organized surrender of the association, but the number of people captured, there is no need to spray saliva here. I read the memoirs of one of our encirclement (it was near Leningrad), if at the beginning of the boiler they somehow resisted, then after a week they just stupidly sat (without food, ammunition and guidance) under bombs and shelling, however, none of their prisoners he didn’t agitate and didn’t leave the forest voluntarily, then the German infantry, demoralized and exhausted from hunger, took them one by one and in groups.

[EvilLion]

I read about the mass surrender during the attack of an entire battalion near Kursk. Moreover, obviously planned in advance, however, the rest of the units immediately began to shoot at the traitors.

[Uncle]

Quote: Olegych

and people, warriors, fighters are not prepared

Right now it’s fashionable to say that there were no repressions. Both the cadres were, and the repressions were, my two great-grandfathers were grind in this meat grinder.

[EvilLion]

Come on, tell me more how they were shot for 3 spikelets. And we will listen.

[Asad]

Two grandfathers during collectivization, one shot the other perished missing.

[3x3zsave]

I will support, despite the fact that my grandfather was, apparently, a Chonovite. It is disappointing that after a hundred years our society is still divided into crystal bakers and Christ sellers.

[Kolya]

Quote: Olegych

The conclusion suggests itself that the country's military leadership was terribly divorced from reality. Technicians riveted, but people, soldiers, fighters were not prepared. They drove the peasants without knowledge or skills, without providing sensible commanders.

As now, between the ruling class and the elite on the one hand and the people on the other. Only now it’s much sadder. What if it happens now? The people will rise, they will not change themselves. And the elite on whose side will be? An ambiguous answer. And modern military operations will unfold at lightning speed. For two years no one will give up.

[Michael-rl]

I came across a profile of a person in Yandex photos - he has a lot of very interesting albums, I advise you to look.
Albums are open - so I hope he won’t be offended that I’ll drop a link to them here =)
http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/grinnols/album/108662/

[Vlaleks48]

Glory to the soldiers of the Red Army dead and alive!
My grandfather and father went through the whole war, and Dad started the Northern (Finnish) one.
Photos - one with a Finnish .on sergeant and about five seven pieces from the strength of the Great Patriotic War.
I have not heard much about the war from them, rarely, when it is visible, the memories are crushed under a hundred grams.
This became clear only after my experience.
There is nothing beautiful in the death of man and cannot be.
Better a bad world than a bloody massacre!

[rumpeljschtizhen]

In many photos Smolensk recognized.
We must always remember about defeats, not only about victories .............. without defeats, there can be no victories.
about those who defended the country at the most difficult time ... few survived ....
.Millions of prisoners and the dead .... but they fought

[fdf1234]

And now it seems that the Moscow Region has not gone far from 41 years. Yes, our grandfathers were strong until the last ...

[Nechai]

Quote: Olegych

Indeed, with rare exceptions, they surrendered to regiments and divisions.

We should not forget about such anti-chemical divisions of wafen-ss (Nebeltruppen). With multiple launch rocket launchers. They were not used at the front line (at the Luga Rebbezh they were forced to), but they worked out their might with might and main against the "encircles". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nebelwerfer_and_Land_Mattress.jpg

[Sergl]

That the columns of our prisoners, that the columns of German prisoners - in all the photos the eyes are equally extinguished ...

The tragedy of 1941, IMHO, consists in the collision of a well-functioning and well-trained military machine called the "Wehrmacht" with the Red Army, which is in the process of reforming. Yet combat experience cannot be replaced by any maneuvers. Hence the colossal losses.

But in the summer of 1941, the Fritz were very fond of shooting Kalmyks and Asians among the prisoners - for the greatest confirmation of racial inferiority and all kinds of Asian hordes.

PS How sorry for the lost KV-2 and T-35 ... They did not have a place in the Kiev military district. Used them in the LenVO there and left.

[Olegovich]

The Germans had very strong intelligence (front-line), they knew by name all the officers, right down to the younger ones, in units deployed opposite. Traditionally strong discipline and pedantry.
And our equipment was very much used: BT kami, forty-foot, etc.

[Zynaps]

Quote: Olegych

The Germans had very strong intelligence (front-line), they knew by name all the officers, right down to the younger ones, in units deployed opposite. Traditionally strong discipline and pedantry.

only by 1943 did she completely merge SMERSHA. in almost all German intelligence schools and abwehrstelle people of the Soviet military counterintelligence were introduced. discipline and pedantry did not help for some reason.

Quote: Olegych

And our equipment was very much used: BT kami, forty-foot, etc.

and like ours - with German trophies. if on the basis of "three" more than a thousand ISUs were riveted. you might think there is a total war without losses ...

[Thirdday]

look on the other hand, this is also History!

[nnz226]

Thanks should be said not only to the soldiers who ripped the Teutons with iron crosses, but also to the people in the rear who, working in inhuman conditions, often made up for the losses in weapons and equipment that occurred in 1941. And in the pictures you can see that one tank was shot from different angles (in particular, the T-35)

[Strabo]

great to see photos of bygone days. These black and white witnesses, regardless of the nationality of the author, reflect a bygone era. It is interesting to peer into the faces of whom they captured. How was fate? Yes, the victory was suffered and poured profusely. It is a pity that the winners could not live well.

[wolverine7778]

It’s good that the Yankees still keep their bases there, and at least two more major world conflicts could have happened during this time

[Georg Shep]

wolverine7778,
No, it's not good.

[james]

You do not write such nonsense anymore.

[valeri51d]

This came from the inept management of the rear and technical support of the Red Army. Because the front and army rear was planned to be deployed on the 15th day of the war, and where were the Germans on the 15th day? Therefore, the tanks lacked fuel and ammunition. There were no mobile repair and restoration bodies in the Red Army either, it was planned to concentrate all the unlawful equipment at large stations where armored vehicles were supposed to repair them, but there was nothing to evacuate them. At the beginning of the war, the rear was subordinate to the chiefs of staff of all the steppes. And leash appreciating the full significance of the rear in August 1941. The post of Deputy People’s Commissar of Defense, Chief of Logistics of the Red Army, was introduced. During the Second World War, given the importance of technical support for troops in tank and mechanized (formations), formations and units, the post was introduced, the Deputy Commander for the technical part, as well as mobile repair and recovery and evacuation bodies. By the forces of which, during the war, each tank released (during the Second World War more than 150000 thousand units / unit were produced) was repaired five times. Why am I telling all this? Yes, because I want to warn the current leaders, headed by the best minister of defense of all time, a citizen of the stool, let them look at these photos more than once. By his order, he abolished all repair bodies and the rear of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as unusual for the Armed Forces. Our potential adversaries are stepping up their efforts in the field of technical support and rear supplies to the divisions of the brigades for repair and restoration and material support. Before our disbandment, there were only separate battalions in our divisions (ORB and OMO). If the country's leadership does not draw the appropriate conclusions, we will not see good luck and such pictures will appear in large numbers only with the current masters of the world.

This came from the inept management of the rear and technical support of the Red Army. Because the front and army rear was planned to be deployed on the 15th day of the war, and where were the Germans on the 15th day? Therefore, the tanks lacked fuel and ammunition. There were no mobile repair and restoration bodies in the Red Army either, it was planned to concentrate all the unlawful equipment at large stations where armored vehicles were supposed to repair them, but there was nothing to evacuate them. At the beginning of the war, the rear was subordinate to the chiefs of staff of all the steppes. And leash appreciating the full significance of the rear in August 1941. The post of Deputy People’s Commissar of Defense, Chief of Logistics of the Red Army, was introduced. During the Second World War, given the importance of technical support for troops in tank and mechanized (formations), formations and units, the post was introduced, the Deputy Commander for the technical part, as well as mobile repair and recovery and evacuation bodies. By the forces of which, during the war, each tank released (during the Second World War more than 150000 thousand units / unit were produced) was repaired five times. Why am I telling all this? Yes, because I want to warn the current leaders, headed by the best minister of defense of all time, a citizen of the stool, let them look at these photos more than once. By his order, he abolished all repair bodies and the rear of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as unusual for the Armed Forces. Our potential adversaries are stepping up their efforts in the field of technical support and rear supplies to the divisions of the brigades for repair and restoration and material support. Before our disbandment, there were only separate battalions in our divisions (ORB and OMO). If the country's leadership does not draw the appropriate conclusions, we will not see good luck and such pictures will appear in large numbers only with the current masters of the world.

[valeri51d]

This came from the inept management of the rear and technical support of the Red Army. Because the front and army rear was planned to be deployed on the 15th day of the war, and where were the Germans on the 15th day? Therefore, the tanks lacked fuel and ammunition. There were no mobile repair and restoration bodies in the Red Army either, it was planned to concentrate all the unlawful equipment at large stations where armored vehicles were supposed to repair them, but there was nothing to evacuate them. At the beginning of the war, the rear was subordinate to the chiefs of staff of all the steppes. And leash appreciating the full significance of the rear in August 1941. The post of Deputy People’s Commissar of Defense, Chief of Logistics of the Red Army, was introduced. During the Second World War, given the importance of technical support for troops in tank and mechanized (formations), formations and units, the post was introduced, the Deputy Commander for the technical part, as well as mobile repair and recovery and evacuation bodies. By the forces of which, during the war, each tank released (during the Second World War more than 150000 thousand units / unit were produced) was repaired five times. Why am I telling all this? Yes, because I want to warn the current leaders, headed by the best minister of defense of all time, a citizen of the stool, let them look at these photos more than once. By his order, he abolished all repair bodies and the rear of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as unusual for the Armed Forces. Our potential adversaries are stepping up their efforts in the field of technical support and rear supplies to the divisions of the brigades for repair and restoration and material support. Before our disbandment, there were only separate battalions in our divisions (ORB and OMO). If the country's leadership does not draw the appropriate conclusions, we will not see good luck and such pictures will appear in large numbers only with the current masters of the world.

[Parsec]

Quote: valeri51d

This came from the inept management of the rear and technical support of the Red Army. Because the front and army rear was planned to be deployed on the 15th day of the war, and where were the Germans on the 15th day?

You declare yourself a professional with forty years of experience, but ask questions like a teenager who first read something on the initial period of the war.

The enemy warned in strategic and operational deployment and attacked without a previous period of diplomatic tension.
You, as a professional, must understand the meaning of each word - both preempted, strategically, operatively, and further in the text. If you understand, but give out "from inept management of logistics and technical support", then huge doubts arise in your professionalism. If you don't understand, even more so.

[vylvyn]

Although the topic of the article is about the period 1941-1943, I liked the pictures of the period 1945 more.

[mind1954]

Could buy a collection of all the official German newsreels,
but could not force myself. But this is still different. Like a look
from the inside, not from the outside.

[Olegovich]

This is the "outdated" BT-7 and there are many more. For us - an outdated one with cardboard armor (15-22 mm), and for them - an excellent high-speed tank, economical, and got it for free. Bravo, critics!

[Olegovich]

beute.narod.ru/Beutepanzer/su/bt/bt-7.html
After all, the conversation is not about how best to crap one's own story, but about the fact that sooner or later questions arise that the official version does not answer. For a very long time I myself believed in a relatively just struggle in the first years of the war, that the Wehrmacht was so strong and terrible, and we are very weak and peaceful. Statistics show the opposite, as well as the quality and ability of our weapons. We had an army, as they sang in the songs "if tomorrow is a campaign, if tomorrow is war."
Indeed, in the first months, fuel depots, airfields, echelons, and weapons depots were destroyed. All this was located very close to the border. Why? Who ordered it? So there were still serious miscalculations that Stalin did not know about? Or did you know?
And if otmazyvatsya that the vehicle was not, and the tanks were to hell, then the answer to the question: where were then the best Defense Commissar Timoshenko, Voroshilov?
And if there was such a sudden and treacherous attack, and then lightning-fast tank wedges of the Nazis, then where was the genius of Zhukov then? At that time General Staff.
The point is that in the first months it was a bloody mess, and we did not expect such a situation. The question is, what are the main reasons? For real reasons, and not because "the war was not expected" (this was the intelligence service).
So I myself would really like to believe Zynaps, but where do you get our losses of 30 million and the Fritz of 7 million? For this, I want to know the mistakes so as not to repeat them.

[Herman 4223]

Anticipation in deployment, most of the connections in the formation stage, lack of technology. These are the three main causes of trouble in 1941, however, the plan of Barbarossa was frustrated, and the victory was ours.

[valeri51d]

After all, the conversation is not about how best to ruin your own story ...
I understand that this is a stone in my garden, I don’t know who Olegych is and the fact that you appreciated my note as gritting my own history. This is far from the case. This is the assessment of a professional who devoted 42 years of his life to these issues. If you want a warning not to step on the same rake. Today the situation in Warmia is even worse than in 1941. All this I perceive with pain, "it is insulting for the state." I have the honor.

[Olegovich]

I apologize for taking it personally. I was in a hurry. I posted Zynapsu.
I also do not say anything, sincerely want to understand.

[valeri51d]

My memory holds a lot, if interested, my Skype name is valeri51d. We can talk.

[16]

photos, of course, of the first days, months of the war !!! photos of the last and penultimate year they still have? interesting to look at them !!!

[ikrut]

Quote: veteran66

Quote: ikrut

We had never heard of mass surrenders by "divisions".

I did not mean the organized surrender of the association, but the number of people captured, there is no need to spray saliva here.

"Division" is just an ORGANIZATIONAL military unit. And he speaks more NOT about the number, but about the composition and structure of the unit. And what was "meant" there - keep on going. Write correctly and they will understand you. Without any "splashing saliva". In Stalingrad, where my father ended up after Kharkov, several dozen people remained from their division. But they did not surrender either.
As for the fact that in 41-42 a lot of soldiers and commanders of the Red Army were captured - no one is against this. It was so. They did not know how to fight, there was no strategic initiative, they made many mistakes. That's what the war is for. But they learned. And then "gave a head start" EVEN GERMANS. And our flag was over Berlin, not theirs over Moscow. Something like this.

[Ragoz]

I did not understand the selection of these photos. The praise of Nazism or another humiliation of the Soviet Union? I ask the leadership of VO to explain the meaning of this so-called article.

[Sivasa]

Why is praise something? Or what? there were no millions of prisoners and abandoned equipment?

You need to know about this in order not to repeat it.

[taseka]

Recover and blew them to the fullest)))