Summary

Photograph depicting 29 German soldiers standing in front of the remnants of two damaged brick buildings. They may be in a farmyard. They look relaxed; one is smoking.

The provenance of the photograph is unknown, although it is dated to World War I.

Description of Content

Group of 29 German soldiers posing for a group photo in front of two brick buildings that are missing their roofs, doors and windows. Two stand on the top plate of one of the buildings. Most of the soldiers are wearing forage caps, except for one soldier in the middle who is wearing a covered Pickelhaube. In the extreme forground there is a cat.

Physical Description

Black and white photographic print - now sepia appearance. Thin white border to image.

Significance

One of a group of photographs and postcards that document the experience of German soldiers during World War I. Although the group has no provenance, the images show a human side to soldiers of the Central Powers. Pictures by or of World War I German soldiers are relatively rare in Australian museums. These are particularly significant as they were apparently taken by German soldiers, showing them engaged in everyday activities.

The images chronicle German soldiers' wartime experience, from serving with Armeegruppe Schaffer in Romania up until the Romanian surrender in 1917. The group includes an image of a war-damaged French church/cathedral, probably taken after the Germans were moved from the Eastern to the Western front. Of particular interest is the image of celebrating German troops in Romania - documenting a victory that was to be short-lived for the Germans.

Further research - including translation of the German hand-written texts - will shed more light on the significance of these photographs and postcards.

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