Recent Photos to share!

[Mark Mac]

A couple more photos.

Another nice photo of Guderian. Seems he has some "free" time to have a little drink!

[Mark Mac]

GFM Albert Kesselring.

[Mark Mac]

General Max Pfeffer commander 297 Infantry Division (Destroyed at Stalingrad).

Awarded the RK on 4-12-41. He surrendered at Stalingrad. Does anyone know his fate?

[Mark Mac]

Gefreiter Kisteller. DKiG in June 1941. KIA on 11 December 1941.

[Mark Mac]

Another Heer studio portrait. Does anyone recognize the device on his shoulderboard?

[V. J. Kursietis]

Hi Mark!

Max Pfeffer died in Voikovo Camp as a Soviet POW in 1955.

Regards,

[Bill Murray]

VJK:

The fate of the Stalingrad survivors is not my field of research, but I am curiuous to know if the ones that were imprisoned for so many years after the war were considered some kind of war criminals or the Russians just kept them as war "booty"?

I have read a very small amount about using ordinary German and other Axis prisoners as more or less slave laborers for quite a number of years after the end of the war but Max was a General, not an ordinary prisoner of war. I know nothing of him but perhaps he was considered some sort of "Bad Guy"?

Just wondering.
Bill

[Maikäfer]

VJK:

The fate of the Stalingrad survivors is not my field of research, but I am curiuous to know if the ones that were imprisoned for so many years after the war were considered some kind of war criminals or the Russians just kept them as war "booty"?

I have read a very small amount about using ordinary German and other Axis prisoners as more or less slave laborers for quite a number of years after the end of the war but Max was a General, not an ordinary prisoner of war. I know nothing of him but perhaps he was considered some sort of "Bad Guy"?

Just wondering.
Bill

It's simply hatred from Russians as well as fear to let them go because the German POW's really knew what kind a joke the "workers' paradise" was, let alone that they might talk about the inhuman treatment all these years and their use as slave workers. If you look at the ranks and units of the Heimkehrer as late as 1955 (the last levy) you'll see anything going from higher SS-officers to the smallest private in some forgotten regiment. So the decision to keep some prisoners to the last moment was not motivated by a specific terminology of bad guys vs good guys. It was just opportunism and fear of releasing them because they would obviously speak about what they had seen; the truth about the "Stalinparadies"'.
Also the death in 1955 seems suspicious at least. That's almost like "passing away in your sleep" the day before you are released from prison. General Weidling, wo defended Berlin in 1945, also "died in captivity". Same with von Kleist (†1954) and countless others. Model shot himself in 1945 to prevent from "dying in Russian captivity" no doubt.

On a brighter note: some very stunning finds, Mark Mac! I'm pleased to see these photo's in good hands.

[Mark Mac]

Maikafer,

Thank you for the kind words. I truly enjoy being a custodian of History!

I would tend to agree with you on the prisoners. I think it was just plain revenge. I am also amazed at the number of old men, former commanders of infantry units and below that died much later in Soviet captivity.

I am a fan of Model. I know he shot himself rather than surrender to the Allies, and knowingly march off into a Soviet prison camp. He was a personal friend of von Paulus and obviously saw what became of him. Model would never have turned on his former comrades or allow himself to be a propaganda tool. He also believed that German Field Marshals NEVER surrender.

VJ, Thank you as well. You came through with a quick answer again!

[TWP]

It's simply hatred from Russians as well as fear to let them go because the German POW's really knew what kind a joke the "workers' paradise" was, let alone that they might talk about the inhuman treatment all these years and their use as slave workers. If you look at the ranks and units of the Heimkehrer as late as 1955 (the last levy) you'll see anything going from higher SS-officers to the smallest private in some forgotten regiment. So the decision to keep some prisoners to the last moment was not motivated by a specific terminology of bad guys vs good guys. It was just opportunism and fear of releasing them because they would obviously speak about what they had seen; the truth about the "Stalinparadies"'.
Also the death in 1955 seems suspicious at least. That's almost like "passing away in your sleep" the day before you are released from prison. General Weidling, wo defended Berlin in 1945, also "died in captivity". Same with von Kleist (†1954) and countless others. Model shot himself in 1945 to prevent from "dying in Russian captivity" no doubt.

On a brighter note: some very stunning finds, Mark Mac! I'm pleased to see these photo's in good hands.

Thanks for the photos. Very imformative indeed.
Cheers

[Mark Mac]

A few more tonight.

Still love the studio portraits!

[Mark Mac]

Portrait showing an IAB!

[Mark Mac]

Panzertruppen!

[Mark Mac]

Luftwaffe NCO with EK1 and leather flight jacket.

[Pete-o MSU]

Amazing photos i'm truly jealous

Pete
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