Front line weddings

[paulmfjr2]

Hi all,
Doing some research and I am looking for photo's of frontline weddings. Those are weddings that took place with the bride and groom seperated, and the groom being at the front. I know the groom would take part in a simple ceremony in which he signed relevent paperwork but I am looking for pictures from any branch of service depicting this.

Any help much appreciated.

[Michael Fay]

Very interesting topic.
In my memory, I don't recall seeing photos that I would have been able to be aware that it was a photo of a single "groom/Mann" without bride at a 'ceremony' or paper signing.
I guess you will need to know exactly what type of things one should expect to see in such a photo (such as Holy book, ritual objects, specific type of table perhaps?). For those armed force members still following Christianity perhaps you might see a military priest? you will have less luck with W-SS with the high ups quiet frowning on Christianity...will be just a SS officer with a SS Mann and his comrades...probably really hard to know what you are seeing in a photo. Such a tableau will look generically like any routine drill /ceremony --Most likely.
When I wonder if photos were even taken very often at such 'lonely' weddings, I think perhaps some photos would be taken to be sent home to the bride? If so, you do have a chance of finding some.

[paulmfjr2]

I have seen a couple of photos in the past regard Fj. One was north afrika, possibly Crete, with Ramke. From what I remember there is a table desk/ with some decoration, the grooms imediate superior (platoon or company chef) then Reg chef overseeing the who thing. I suppose pictures of this could be confused with award ceremonys. I'll keep digging.

[Gerdan]

A wedding during WW2 often hapened that the bride was at home and the groom war fighting.
These weddings are called "Ferntrauung". It was allowed since November 1939.

Sometimes even when the groom was KIA after his death it was possible to marry him ("Leichentrauung").

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsch...iten_Weltkrieg

http://www.google.de/imgres?sa=X&biw...9,r:0,s:0,i:83

http://www.google.de/imgres?sa=X&biw...86&tx=59&ty=70

Gerdan

[Gerdan]

Some more information:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=56562&page=34

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...erntrauung.jpg

Gerdan

[-Ray-]

Proxy Wedding!

An original photo from my collection

Notice the pictures on the table of the bride, expedient floral arrangements and the trooper in the act of signing away his paycheck while his partners await their turn.



-Ray-

[Towarish]

Here is quite a well know set of photos of a "Ferntrauung".
The photos were taken in Normandy in 1944.









Cheers,

[paulmfjr2]

Gentlemen, I thank you!!!!!

[jmark]

Here's one from 1942, Panzer-Regiment 24. I believe these "Ferntrauung" were legal ceremonies rather than religious ones. The person officiating was usually the man's commander, not a priest.

Jason

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[mathiass]

These happenings was something totally new for me. Thank you guys for enlightening me.

[Michael Fay]

This is a very interesting thread. Thanks to all who contributed.

Without any photo of the lady to be wed shown it is very hard to know what was going on (in a few with only a table).

I wonder if there was a carved Adler under the flowers on the wooden candle holders in the Luft proxy wedding?

[jmark]

Without any photo of the lady to be wed shown it is very hard to know what was going on (in a few with only a table).

It's not hard to know. The caption to my photo reads "Ferntrauung". I cannot think of another occasion where a table was set up like this in the field. A Feldgottdienst [religious service in the field] had a portable altar... no swastika flag draped over that.

I believe I have a few other field marriage photos in my collection. I'll dig them out.

Jason

[jmark]

Here's some more. A double Ferntrauung carried out in Poland shortly before Barbarossa began. The battalion commander is seated, battalion adjutant on the right, the two bridegrooms standing in front of their commander.

Jason

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[jmark]

A group photo, from left to right: battalion adjutant, company commander of one of the men, bridegroom 1, battalion commander, bridegroom 2, Spieß. Notice the posies in the breast pockets of the bridegrooms.

Jason

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[dutchcollector]

I've got a document stating the marriage of a couple after the guy was KIA. I'll post it here in the coming days.