POW Photographs - How, Why and By Whom?
Article about: Question: Does any one know or have a theory about the circumstances surrounding how, who or why private (I'm assuming German) photographers were allowed into POW compounds to photograph All
-
POW Photographs - How, Why and By Whom?
Question: Does any one know or have a theory about the circumstances surrounding how, who or why private (I'm assuming German) photographers were allowed into POW compounds to photograph Allied POW's? I'm not talking about photos made for propaganda, I'm specifically interested in images made of and for individual POW's. I have several that were taken at Karlsruhe and at a camp in East Prussia. Any ideas??
-
Re: POW Photographs - How, Why and By Whom?
They got paid, probably greasing some palms enroute. This also seems to have happened during ww2, seen pictures of football and cricket teams. Presumably pow weren't allowed cameras, i.d cards military secrets etc, so they must have been taken by Germans either officially or by servicemen with cameras. German servicemen seem to have had much greater access to cameras than certainly British servicemen if not U.S. There was a great camera and lens manufacturing industry in Germany prior to ww2 and was comparitively affordable as a result.
-
Re: POW Photographs - How, Why and By Whom?
by
kc1
They got paid, probably greasing some palms enroute. This also seems to have happened during ww2, seen pictures of football and cricket teams. Presumably pow weren't allowed cameras, i.d cards military secrets etc, so they must have been taken by Germans either officially or by servicemen with cameras. German servicemen seem to have had much greater access to cameras than certainly British servicemen if not U.S. There was a great camera and lens manufacturing industry in Germany prior to ww2 and was comparitively affordable as a result.
I recently spoke with the son of a WWI POW. He told me that his father explained to him that the commandants of some camps allowed local photographers to come into the compound in order to make a few extra dollars, he presumed that some arrangement was made before hand between the photographer and the commander of the camp. Money is always the grease of commerce.
-
Re: POW Photographs - How, Why and By Whom?
Remember that there was good propaganda value in allowing PoWs to have photos taken, they could then send them home, showing that they were well taken care of.
Best
gus
-
Re: POW Photographs - How, Why and By Whom?
I have quite a few postcards of german POWs in my collection so i believe the trade must have been quite common in both countries.
-
Re: POW Photographs - How, Why and By Whom?
1 Album only POW !!
Italy
german Soldaten
newspaper , theater usw.
Similar Threads
-
-
In Polish Armed Forces in the West (Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Zachodzie) 1939-1947
-
In Doc's, paper items, photos, propaganda
-
In German photographs & Postcards
-
In Orders & Decorations of the Third Reich
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules
Bookmarks