Check out this photo
 

If this is not a made up photo, I am sure this young man (now probably in his 80's) has lots of stories he can share today.

Mike

Mike..Way cool! It almost looks photoshoped because of the contrast between color, military & civilian. Looks out of joint. I am sure it was a common thing for boys to be curious.

Thanks..Really a neat shot.

Jerry Burney

If he made it thru the air raids and then the conscription for the final defense of the Fatherland he would have been a lucky little man.

It's more than likely a real photo. The Germans had lots of photo ops where civilians got to watch the military in exercises. The machine gun looks to be pe-war.

I suspect that these Soldiers are Combat Police..There is a helmet decal on the front Soldier laying down. I can't blow it up enough to get a good look. Looks like a Police emblem though.

Jerry Burney

Appears to be a Reichswehr era photo. Most likely taken in the early to mid 30's.

This one is from 1934.

Ron, Hitler takes over in 1933..That's the end of the Reichswehr , beginning of the whermacht. Was there much of a transformation or did the Nazi's make immediate uniform changes?

What is the helmet insignia on your photo Ron?

Both fascinating pictures!

Jerry Burney

Hi Jerry,

The helmet insignia are early Eagle over Swastica. The early Wehrmacht still used the "coal scuttle" helmets.

The "Reichswehr" wasn't changed to the "Wehrmacht" until 1935 when Hitler introduced the Luftwaffe as a branch of the armed forces.

Ron

Ron, Thanks! I guess I need to find a good book on this.

Jerry Burney