Now there's something you don't see every day...

[Chris]

We've all seen a number of photographs of foreign volunteers to the Wehrmacht -- Indians, Arabs, Turkmen, and so on -- in the foreign volunteer units. This one is a first for me: A decorated black German NCO in a regular combat line unit. He is the recipient of the Assault Badge, the Wound Badge in Black, and it looks like (from the ribbons) the Russian Front Medal and the KVKII.

The inscription on the back reads "Franz mit Kind und Frau," so we know the soldier has a German name, Franz, and -- if born outside of Germany, he had at least one German parent. I can't explain this one, but it's just a personal snapshot, not a publicity, propaganda, or press photo. I think it's ironic the Germans would put a black citizen into a combat unit with white soldiers, and make him an NCO, when the United States would not even let them serve together. Has anyone else ever seen a photograph of a black German soldier?

[Jan-Hendrik]

Absolutly great find ! Congratulations !

Jan-Hendrik

[daggers]

Simply a "normal" German (Franz!!!) who came back sun tanned from the african front ..
See the "white" child.

[Ingsoc]

Perhaps he one of the "Rhineland Bastards" the children that were born to Black French colonial troops and German women when France invaded Germany in the 1920es, I remember I read an article about black in Germany that stated that some of those children serve in the Wehrmacht.

[D. Löwenhamn]

There is nothing black about him, he is simply suntanned.

[Chris]

The suggestion that this is a white man with a suntan is absolutely ludicrous. It is obviously a black man. Look at his face and hands. If you don't have anything logical to say, please at least stop posting delusional nonsense.

[R MICHAEL]

I guess I am not seeing what you are. The gentleman does not look black. The facial structure doesn,t seem to fit. Could he be from Med. descent or just back from Afrika?

[Gene]

Looks well tanned to me too; and member "daggers" is correct- look at his kid. This guy has Caucasian facial features, and when I tan I can get as dark as this guy too.

[Chris]

That is not a suntan. I would say he clearly had one white parent and one black parent. His father may have been, for example, a German colonial administrator in German Southwest Africa, German East Africa, or Togoland. Or, as Ingsoc noted, he may have been born of the liaison between a French colonial soldier and a German woman. His wife is also lightskinned black. I would guess she had three white and one black grandparent. A child with five white and three black grandparents could easily have blond hair.

[Simon O.]

That's a caucasian family from what i can see. Seen plenty of guys with tans every bit as dark as his. His son kind of gives it away.

[D. Löwenhamn]

I'm sorry but there is nothing african about the soldier. On black and white photos a strong tan like this might cause confusion. I suggest you compare it with other black and white photos of suntanned people. That this soldier would be african or half-african is simply wishful thinking.

[Chris]

OK, I give up. The Apollo landings were faked, the earth is flat, evolution is a hoax, and this is the face of a white male with a suntan. (I hope none of "suntan" group makes his living as an anthropologist.) Shown here with the black German soldier is Derek Jeter, who is black -- and is the future Hall of Fame shortstop for the New York Yankees, Jeter's father is black, his mother is white. Oh, never mind, I guess he's white man with a suntan, too.

[TWP]

Chris, why such hostility? Members are only stating what they think is in the picture.
I also am sure that this soldier is 100% original pre-1945 made in Germany.
His facial structure gives it away as does that of his son.

Although Derek Jeter has light skinned, his bone structure gives him away as having African origins.

[Chris]

If you can't see that the man in the photograph is a black man, I can't help you.

[münster]

IMO opinion that is not a Black Man,,There is however a special "Dark German" Ironically most are from the North. It could be a suntan or one of these Germans I have mentioned.