Colorized photo of Maj. Dick Winters and others at the Eagles Nest

Freethinker

posted

Amazing work.

One thing that struck me was how many of the original photos were new to me. Some, such as the Marine with the cigarette and carbine barrel visible behind him (#118) are well known and have been reproduced countless times, but many others I’ve never seen, so that was worth a look in itself. I had seen the photo of Roza Shanina (#13) only once before, and that in an obscure book about women snipers in the Red Army.

The photo (#110) of the German officer being prepared for death by firing squad was another new one to me, and it was interesting that he was allowed to wear his full uniform, including the hat. Plus there was evidently another German present—perhaps another clergyman? Little things like that were controversial at the time, with many people believing that the German war criminals didn’t deserve any military honors. For example, Göring’s request to be shot (a “military” death) rather than hanged was refused, and he then committed suicide.

My comment about the colorization process is that many of the original colors in various scenes were obviously unknown, and in the redone photos some seem to have been chosen to make the backgrounds more interesting. Were the leaves at the time the photo of the Royal Ulster Rifles sniper in the snow (#99) was originally taken really that fresh and green?

Some of the colors in the older photos also seem brighter and purer than what I would have expected before the development of modern dyes and based on the few old garments and military uniforms I’ve seen in museums. That really stood out in #16 of the Highlanders that was taken before the development of synthetic dyes. That’s something else that would be interesting to know.

► 6.4/93.6

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
_{— Plato}

Posts: 47410 | Location: 10,150 Feet Above Sea Level in Colorado | Registered: April 04, 2002

Ignored post by sigfreund posted

sns3guppy

Member

posted

In the previews of a movie that my wife and I went to see a few nights ago was one called "They Shall Not Grow Old;" a colorized WW I movie that was also striking in the way that it brought what seems to be from another era into what could be today.

The energizing of these pictures takes them from a state of being once or twice removed to the present, almost brings them back to life.

Posts: 6650 | Registered: September 13, 2006

Ignored post by sns3guppy posted

TSE

Ubique

posted

quote:
Originally posted by sigfreund:
Amazing work.

One thing that struck me was how many of the original photos were new to me. Some, such as the Marine with the cigarette and carbine barrel visible behind him (#118) are well known and have been reproduced countless times, but many others I’ve never seen, so that was worth a look in itself. I had seen the photo of Roza Shanina (#13) only once before, and that in an obscure book about women snipers in the Red Army.

The photo (#110) of the German officer being prepared for death by firing squad was another new one to me, and it was interesting that he was allowed to wear his full uniform, including the hat. Plus there was evidently another German present—perhaps another clergyman? Little things like that were controversial at the time, with many people believing that the German war criminals didn’t deserve any military honors. For example, Göring’s request to be shot (a “military” death) rather than hanged was refused, and he then committed suicide.

My comment about the colorization process is that many of the original colors in various scenes were obviously unknown, and in the redone photos some seem to have been chosen to make the backgrounds more interesting. Were the leaves at the time the photo of the Royal Ulster Rifles sniper in the snow (#99) was originally taken really that fresh and green?

Some of the colors in the older photos also seem brighter and purer than what I would have expected before the development of modern dyes and based on the few old garments and military uniforms I’ve seen in museums. That really stood out in #16 of the Highlanders that was taken before the development of synthetic dyes. That’s something else that would be interesting to know.

Amazing pictures of some not so famous moments.
I made the mistake of looking at the comments expecting historical context. What a bunch of maroons.

Calgary Shooting Centre

Posts: 1494 | Location: Alberta | Registered: July 06, 2004

Ignored post by TSE posted

Freethinker

posted

quote:
Originally posted by TSE:
What a bunch of maroons.

I have generally found that looking at Internet comments is a mistake and hazardous to one's sanity.

► 6.4/93.6

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
_{— Plato}

Posts: 47410 | Location: 10,150 Feet Above Sea Level in Colorado | Registered: April 04, 2002

Ignored post by sigfreund posted

RogueJSK

Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK

posted

quote:
Originally posted by sigfreund:
The photo (#110) of the German officer being prepared for death by firing squad was another new one to me, and it was interesting that he was allowed to wear his full uniform, including the hat.

Almost his full uniform. He's missing the eagle insignia and his medals on the front of his tunic, although he retains the Eastern Front Medal ribbon in his tunic's buttonhole, for some reason.

quote:
Plus there was evidently another German present—perhaps another clergyman?

Perhaps. The other German is an officer, as evidenced by the silver piping around the top of his field cap.

Posts: 32506 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008

Ignored post by RogueJSK posted

Cliff

The Velvet Voicebox

posted

Absolutely stunning pictures.

"All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope."

--Sir Winston Churchill

"The world is filled with violence. Because criminals carry guns, we decent law-abiding citizens should also have guns. Otherwise they will win and the decent people will lose."

--James Earl Jones

Posts: 7656 | Location: KCMO | Registered: August 31, 2002

Ignored post by Cliff posted

Freethinker

posted

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Almost his full uniform.

Thanks for the comparison photo. I imagine the Iron Cross and possibly the ribbons ended up among some GI’s souvenirs early on. The eagle insignia patch may have been removed from his uniform because of the Nazi swastika symbol, but that’s possibly also true of the medals and the pin above his IC (General Staff? I forget, if I ever knew).

► 6.4/93.6

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
_{— Plato}

Posts: 47410 | Location: 10,150 Feet Above Sea Level in Colorado | Registered: April 04, 2002

Ignored post by sigfreund posted

RogueJSK

Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK

posted

The pin above his Iron Cross is the 1939 clasp to his 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class.

He earned the 1914 Iron Cross as a young officer during WW1. He then earned a second award of the "new" 1939 Iron Cross during WW2. Rather than Germans in that situation having to wear two Iron Crosses (a 1914 and a 1939), that eagle clasp was created to denote the additional award of the updated medal.

Posts: 32506 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008

Ignored post by RogueJSK posted

Freethinker

posted

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
The pin above his Iron Cross is the 1939 clasp to his 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class.

Great! Thanks much for the explanation. I have seen the upper pin on so many senior officers' uniforms that somehow I got the impression that is was something to do with their positions.

► 6.4/93.6

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
_{— Plato}

Posts: 47410 | Location: 10,150 Feet Above Sea Level in Colorado | Registered: April 04, 2002

Ignored post by sigfreund posted

sjtill

goodheart

posted

I couldn't stop until I had looked at every picture. So much history in there...amazing.
Hard to know which is the most astonishing photo, but I'm going with the Royal Family one with Victoria, Nicholas II, Wilhelm II and all the cousins at a happy wedding not long before their countries slaughtered each other's subjects.

_________________________
“ What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass.”— Lord Melbourne

Posts: 18064 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004

Ignored post by sjtill posted

Ronin1069

Semper Fi - 1775
Picture of Ronin1069

posted

This has to be the most complete (and amazing) amazing collection I’ve seen. I actually learned a few things by reading about the context of the photos.

Thank you so much for posting.

___________________________
All it takes...is all you got.
____________________________
For those who have fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Posts: 12329 | Location: Belly of the Beast | Registered: January 02, 2009

Ignored post by Ronin1069 posted

Edmond

I Am The Walrus

posted

I found the pictures of Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein to be particularly interesting for some reason. It seemed to "humanize" them and bring them to life.

Fascinating!

_____________

Posts: 13109 | Registered: March 12, 2005

Ignored post by Edmond posted

smpsmp

To Do What is
Right and Just

posted

As it's been said, amazing work.

After scrolling through, either this photo or another I'll be ordering in a print.

Posts: 2439 | Location: Usually Somewhere | Registered: July 28, 2011

Ignored post by smpsmp posted