This is a follow up to my last post that contained field pictures from WWII. My father was from Poland and was in forced labor under Hitler.
1) WWII soldiers marching with guns
2) WWII soldiers in discussion
Any thoughts or insight as to these pictures would be most appreciated. If nothing else, I hope you find them as fascinating as I did.
Mar 29, 2019 12:45 PM
Dear Ms. Dash,
Thank you for posting your question on the History Hub!
If it was part of the “captured” records in the National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized (Record Group 242), the photograph of record would be considered permanent and in the custody of the National Archives at College Park -Still Picture (RDSS). Please contact RDSS via email at stillpix@nara.gov. Their web site is https://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/photographs-dc.html.
We also suggest that you contact the State Archives of Poland via https://www.archiwa.gov.pl/pl/ for Polish military information. For German military information, you may wish to contact the Bundesarchiv Abt. VI - Militärarchiv, Wiesentalstraße 10, 79115 Freiburg, Germany.
We hope this information is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!
Mar 29, 2019 3:39 PM
Ms. Dash,
Here's my read on this third set of images:
The 1st photo is again of a Polish 1st or 2nd Army formation during a road march. The weaponry is again a mix of German and Soviet, with the soldiers in the first rank carrying from left to right a Soviet PPSH-41 submachine gun, a German MP-40 submachine gun, and a Soviet PPS-43 submachine gun. The soldier on the right in the second rank is carrying a Soviet DP28 light machine gun. The rifles carried by those in the following ranks are too indistinct to identify. The uniforms appear to be prewar Polish Army issue with the stand-up collar, although these may have been manufactured by the Soviets. The caps do appear to be the Polish rogatywka field cap.
The seated figures in the second photo are intriguing. The rearmost figure appears to be wearing a Polish Army officer's field uniform with the rank of Kapitan (captain). The figure in the foreground is wearing an odd mixture of uniform items. The uniform jacket looks German in origin, with Polish insignia. His side cap is not standard Polish Army issue, but it clearly bears the Polish eagle on the front and the rank of Pulkownik (colonel) on the left side of the cap.
I hope you find this information helpful in your research.