From the Kriegsberichter's Eyes: A study in German Press Photos

[Todd Gylsen]

987b/ The Demjansk bridgehead is cleared on schedule.
From the army report on 2 March 1943. The Soviets ran unsuccessfully in a blind rage for 14 months on the Demjansk bridgehead, southeast of Lake Ilmen, and suffered tremendous losses in casualties and material. When the first vehicles of the German army left the towns in the front lines, the inhabitants, pleading tearfully, asked to be taken with and not to fall into the clutches of the Bolsheviks.
11 March 1943 Atlantic PK-Beissel

[Todd Gylsen]

Press photo from 1945 are very difficult to find. Here is a rare example.

J28728/ Fighting in the Balkans.
German troops have cleared large sections of the Syrmia front of Bolshevik bandits. A supply column rolls forward through hostile territory for our struggling grenadiers at the front.
26 February 1945 Scherl PK-Prsibilla

[Todd Gylsen]

5440/ Hell even for the animals.
Tired and loose, the horse trots forward with a lowered head as it survived the hellish attack.
15 July 1942 Atlantic PK-Bauer

[Todd Gylsen]

3316/ Replacements forward!
In spite of the fierce cold, ice and snow, the replacements are moving to the most forward positions with smiles on their faces.
26 January 1942 Atlantic PK-Fenske

[Todd Gylsen]

The elderly were murdered by the GPU in Lemburg.
Murdered men and women were pulled from the cellars of a GPU prison in Lemberg.
7 July 1941 Wien-Bild SS-PK-Roth

[Todd Gylsen]

5530a/ The results from the battle at Rzhev.
Considerable amounts of artillery fell into our hands, in addition to tanks and other war material.
23 July 1942 Atlantic PK-Jäger

[Todd Gylsen]

2849a/ Thrust into the hostile onslaught.
Short rest. The sun burns hot on the wide plain. Men and horses freshen up at the well.
9 July 1943 Atlantic SS-PK-Büschel

[MarcRikmenspoel]

Many of Franz Roth's photos stored at the US National Archives as negatives that are unavailable to the general public. They have been roughly scanned into a book, which is available for perusal (including by me). Charles Trang scanned the book, for his own Franz Roth book. Trang's book was criticized for some poor quality reproductions, but the culprit was the NARA book he scanned as his source. Despite the lesser quality, Roth's surviving photos reveal an uncommon willingness to photograph ugly scenes of destruction. This Roth photo of the GPU prison victims is representative of his work, and in better quality than much of what is available by him.

Meanwhile, Max Büschel was with the Leibstandarte during the Kursk offensive. His photo released on July 9, 1943 was probably taken during the last weeks of preparation for the offensive (which began on July 4 in a limited way, and the next day generally). Obviously, a horsed Heer unit wasn't part of the LAH, but the 167. Infanterie Division was stationed on the LAH's left flank. So this is the most likely unit being seen in Büschel's photo.

[Todd Gylsen]

Thanks Marc for the detailed info!

[Todd Gylsen]

59597/ Foreign journalists visiting the place in Lemberg where the GPU murdered civilians.
Members of the foreign press working in Berlin had the opportunity to see for themselves the place of the horrific murders by the GPU in Lemberg where thousands of residents of this city fell victim. Our picture shows the foreign journalists viewing the horribly mutilated bodies shortly before their burial in Lemberg.
9 July 1941 Associated Press

[Todd Gylsen]

4279c/ The victims of senseless Soviet mass attacks.
A grey document of Bolshevik self-destruction! Again and again, the troop leaders, which were indoctrinated by their political agents, drove their troops before the fire of our heavy and light weapons. The Bolsheviks stormed the German positions packed tightly together like frantic animals. The now lie dead on the ground packed tightly together.
5/6 April 1942 Atlantic PK-Momber

[Todd Gylsen]

4980/ Attempting to break through…
The Soviets location on the Donets River-front was a hopeless situation after the battle of Kharkov. Timoschenkow’s inadequate strategy against the German positions left the destruction of the last remnants of the masses in only a matter of time. The Soviets have no choice but to surrender or perish in the German ring of steel. At individual points, they try to achieve a breakthrough, mostly at night. They regularly break down and leave countless number of human and material victims. This is a view at dawn from one part of the German front.
5 June 1942 Atlantic PK-Schürer

[H.W Plainview]

Scary photos, thank you for sharing.

[Michael Miller]

Re: Photo in Post #3794: SS general at extreme left is SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Polizei Karl Retzlaff (SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei from 30 January 1944), photo likely taken during his assignment as Inspekteur der Ordnungspolizei (IdO) in Wehrkreis XVII (Wien). I say likely because the man third from right is the deputy Gauleiter of Vienna, Karl Scharizer. Also present, with Blutorden ribbon, is NSKK-Obergruppenführer Joseph Seydel, Führer of Motor-Obergruppe Südost (Wien).

~ Mike

[Todd Gylsen]

Thanks Mike for the identification of these men!