Funny but Sad

[Viewfinder]

Here is a wonderful old original private photo on a postcard showing a group of young recruits being yelled at by their non com while in training. Note the Barracks in the background. Just like any army in the world then and now. Even his assistant looks on annoyed with these young soldiers. Very typical and slightly humorous.

Then the sadness. Look near the foot of the young soldier being berated. It is marked with a small blue cross. The reverse of the card is also marked with a cross. He died!

This was a common practice in the Third Reich to show the individual is deceased. I wonder what happened to him?

Most old photos can tell a story. This one is Comic/Tragedy.

Jerry

[Viewfinder]

funny sad reverse

rev

[Betty Swollocks]

A great photo Jerry. Thanks for showing

Darren

[feldpost 58]

Hi,

Indeed a tragic/ comic photograph.
I have several albums and collections of photos showing "the family member" with a small ink pen "x" to mark his presence.
Even down to barracks images with his locker marked with an "x".
We must remember that times were different then, and things we take for granted were luxuries to the people who lived in those times.
To us, to take a photo of your locker appears ridiculous, to them ot was a big luxury!

Best wishes,

John.

[IchHattEinenKameraden]

The "X" is to identify himself in the photograph, it has nothing to do with death.

[Mil-Archive]

I have lots of albums where interspersed throughout would be pictures where different people have a small x beside them. I have usually took it to mean that this marked a person who did not survive. In this case it might be that the x is to mark the owner of the picture but that's not always the case.