Interesting Photo: German and Russian soldiers

[jurok]

Hello! An interesting photo. Three which ahead-it German soldiers? If yes, why they with Russian?

[oradour]

jurok, an intriguing photograph to be sure....definitely three German soldiers sat in the middle, surrounded by Russian soldiers, the first German looks to be an elderly moustached ''Landwehr'' NCO, to my eyes he has metal numbers/numerals on the collar of his Brandenburg cuffed model 1907/10 waffenrock (tunic), indicative of the ''Landwehr''. IMO the other two look to be officers, the second gent appears to be wearing a private purchase tailored model 1915 Feldbluse, modified from regs by the addition of breast pockets (common alteration by officers), I cannot make out his rank, the other officer is sporting what could be a private purchase corduroy type tunic with probably, an apple green collar, I can make out no other details on this man, however all are seen to be wearing model 1910 service caps for specialists, artillery, pioneer, kraftfahrer, luftschiffer, flieger and eisenbahn truppen, denoted by the black band around the caps. Any scenario could be acted out here without a narrative, are the Germans POWs ? are the Russians POWs ?....or could this be a time of reconcilliation around the Brest-Litovsk treaty of December 1917, the peace treaty between Imperial Germany and Bolshevik Russia....I guess we will never know....?

[leej11]

That is a very interesting picture. Steve, I found your reply to perk my interest and curiosity even more!

[Mehti Safarov]

The picture refers to the episodes of fraternization which has been common on the Russian-German front after the Republican revolution in Russia in February1917.
Fraternization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Most of the Russian officers took their shoulderboards off which was a sort of good revolutionary fashion.
However three of them still have them on.
The officer standing second from right has got the legend written on his shoulderboards. High resolution image would help to define the particular unit.
The pipe smoker has got Order of St.George 4th class ribbon on his chest. This was rather impossible to demonstrate under the bolshevik's rule.
Therefore the picture was most likely taken before the October 1917.

[Walkwolf]

Lol - the Germans don't look all that happy.........