Miscellaneous Early Photos

[Guardian 5]

Gents,

I was taken by this photo of a senior NCO from 3.Panzerdivision and this lovely lady.

It just smacks of middle-class respectability and German stodility. It shows people who are very comfortable in their skin.

And I love the hat. (The lady's that is....)


All the best,
TJ

[Guardian 5]

Gents,

The German phenomena of clowning around in the barracks drapped in guns over pajamas has existed since Imperial times.

Could our former Bundeswehr / BGS / NVA members comment on this practice? Was it a celebration prior to graduation from basic training?

Over in the States we didn't get issued with bath robes, pajamas, and slippers. How about other NATO nations?

I can see at least two styles of trouser belts; note too the early G3 furniture.

Thanks,
TJ

[Guardian 5]

Gents,

My wife thought this guy had a creepy smile.

Is there anything from a collector's perspective we should note?

Thanks,
TJ

[Collectinsteve]

Fun pictures!!

Yes, I have noticed the large number of pictures of German service members (Army, Police, Border Guard, etc) that are naked with just a belt and a bit of kit (usually a shovel) covering their front bits. Often the picture is taken when a NCO is coming into the room for inspection or at Christmas time. I've also assumed this is some long standing tradition, but I have no idea what the tradition is. I am also curious to know

Steve

[speedytop]

Hu,

we did it in the Bundeswehr, soldiers in the NVA did it.
But I don't know why we all did it.

Uwe

[Gene T]

Silliness is both contagious and an effective bonding mechanism among the youth, and when the contagion has been around for generations, how it got started becomes anyone's guess and is no longer material to the act of propagation. It simply exists for itself.

The photo below is scanned from Kraus's book - The German Army in the First World War. If anyone had been taking pictures in the barracks during the Franco-Prussian War, we'd probably find even more ancient versions of such scenes.




My own guess is that this tradition is a byproduct of the popularization of photography, though I too am at a loss as to why it seems to have taken hold only among the Germans and no one else. Maybe it's a matter of the Germans having fewer hang-ups about having half-naked group pictures taken, or maybe it's because they were the first to fall victim to the contagion, and their neighbors quickly learned to immunize themselves against it upon witnessing its devastating effects?


Gene T

[uscob]

Gents,

I was taken by this photo of a senior NCO from 3.Panzerdivision and this lovely lady.

It just smacks of middle-class respectability and German stodility. It shows people who are very comfortable in their skin.

And I love the hat. (The lady's that is....)


All the best,
TJ

Where is the lovely Lady?

[Proud Kraut]

Hu,

we did it in the Bundeswehr, soldiers in the NVA did it.
But I don't know why we all did it.

Uwe

Yes, I remember these parties very well. Must look for some fotos, dad's and grandpa's pictures of the so called "Budenzauber" do exist as well.
No special occasion. Typically done in the AGA (Allgemeine Grundausbildung = Basic Training) when everybody has to stay in the Kaserne. Usually weapons are locked in the armory. We used to lock them in the "Spind" after night training so then they were available for some cool pictures . Some bottles of cold beer... As far as I've heard, the Budenzauber has gone out of style the last years.

[Proud Kraut]

Gents,

I was taken by this photo of a senior NCO from 3.Panzerdivision and this lovely lady.

It just smacks of middle-class respectability and German stodility. It shows people who are very comfortable in their skin.

And I love the hat. (The lady's that is....)


All the best,
TJ

I'm afraid I don't understand that term: What's the meaning of "German stodility" please?

[Guardian 5]

PK,

I hope the on-line translator works. Rest assured, I mean no insult.

Staatsbürger in Uniform, grobschlächtigen, solide, seriöse, gesetzestreue, Mittelschicht, stolz.

Gruss,
TJ

[uscob]

PK,

I hope the on-line translator works. Rest assured, I mean no insult.

Staatsbürger in Uniform, grobschlächtigen, solide, seriöse, gesetzestreue, Mittelschicht, stolz.

Gruss,
TJ

For a very long Time, the Term Soldier/Soldat was only used as a Rank. The "description" for their Position or so was "Staatsbürger in Uniform". It was just a Word Composition not to name them Soldiers so short after a very violent Military History of Germany. Many People were afraid of new confrontations / Wars at that time.

[Proud Kraut]

PK,

I hope the on-line translator works. Rest assured, I mean no insult.

Staatsbürger in Uniform, grobschlächtigen, solide, seriöse, gesetzestreue, Mittelschicht, stolz.

Gruss,
TJ

Hi TJ,

thanks for the translation. I havn't heard that particular term before.

Lars

P.S.: I really love that hat as well ;-)

[Marc Sherriff]

I havn't heard that particular term before.

Lars

I think TJ meant stolidity.

Marc

[Guardian 5]

Thanks Marc!


TJ

[Proud Kraut]

I still "owe" you the Budenzauber pictures of my relatives. Have found that of my grandpa yet

http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/al...3965666537.jpg

Regards

Lars