Reichsbahn Photos-Who, What, Where and When?

[cyberia]

This was my thought. He too wore such hats and the size comparison to the others looks about right. What made me start to think this was someone noteworthy was the way the others are posturing themselves around him.

Most of the rail workers seem to be looking at this man rather than what he is looking at. The three closest to him are standing "at ease" fashion with their hands clasped behind their backs. This person is also being given "space".

If not Goebbels, then someone else of import in that time and place.

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by cyberia

I was actually referring to the guy without the hat.

I see this scene a little differently. There are two groups of 4 guys meeting.

The distant group is 3 rail workers wearing caps (and the cap guy standing in the doorway of the rail car) and the guy with the fedora hat is their rail boss. With such distinguished guests, as the other group of 4, there would need to be someone of authority from the rail yard. I make that guy as the hat guy. His head is slightly bowed in deference and he is standing with his group of subordinants.

Of the other group of 4, obviously two are military officers given their round hats and shoulder insignia. The guy with no hat I would say as Speer, but he looks too fat actually. However, he doesn't look like a rail worker to me and he is animated and gesturing. The guy behind him with his hands on his hips would be the impatient civilian assistant of the hatless guy.

Goebbels is a pretty short and scrany guy and I would suspect him to be escorted by SS, not regular army. The SS generally wore leather coats or black shirts. The officers in this picture don't strike me as SS.

I see the hatless guy as the boss man based on his dress, and body language. Look how his chest is out with his shoulders back. He is addressing the front officer directly. The fedora hat guy is stooped over, arms straight, looking down, and appearing very obsequious to me.

So I speculate...

[cyberia]

Hmmm, let me consider all of this for a bit. I have new thoughts as well. One for certain, some of those in photo are people must have been of some importance.
Question is who?

[Jim O]

Figuring out who is the main attraction is certainly a key. That portly fellow is not Speer, at least it doesn't look like him. In the latter part of the war, Speer is usually seen in uniform. Likewise for Goebbels who wore a uniform much if not all of the time.

Nazi_Brass.jpg
Speer is on the right in this photo. Note the uniform.


Albert-Speer-72-929.jpg
Speer on the witness stand in Nuremberg


225px-Goebbels.jpg
Goebbels in uniform


Papen_Hitler_Goebbels.JPG
Hitler and Goebbels both in civilian clothes. Note Hitler's body language which was not really so atypical for him and which is almost identical to that of the man in the photo. Of course that isn't to say that I think it was him in the photo.


Considering the location, Goebbels is unlikely. What would he be doing in a rail yard? Hitler would almost certainly have had more security. Speer does not look like any of those men.

Reichsbahn senior officials also worse uniforms during the war so those two with their backs to us may not be military.

Sorry to not be of much help here...

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Sorry to not be of much help here...

On the contrary. I agree with your observations.

I think the main man here is the hatless guy. Almost reminds me of Eicke, but he's not military so that's not it.

Also note the two guys looking out of the train car/engine on the right. The guy with the flat brim hat is undoubtedly someone of merit.

Hat's were important back in those days. Interesting how times change... I wonder what they meant back then exactly?

[Panzermacher]

Originally Posted by cyberia

To Stalingrad

No mystery to this photo. Members of the 1st Infantry Signal Platoon of the 164th Div. heading to Stalingrad August 6th, 1942 by way of Kaukasus.

An infantry group scrambles to catch a ride, date and location unknown

I found this pic in Steve Walsh's book Stalingrad: The Infernal Cauldron page 37 bottom.It is obviously from the same series of pics that Paul has....(Note the difference in the Accordian players expression and slight body changes on the others) This is the first such pic I have seen yet to date even close to what is in this collection.....The book credits the BundesArchiv for the pic.....Paul you have some REAL diamonds there!

[cyberia]

That is so cool. That photo and the print I have must have been taken within minutes of each other. So, what I will do now is check the back of the original, look for which marks it has and set those aside.

The only questions is, how did my Uncle Ernst get these things.

[Jim O]

Depending on whether they were cropped they may have been taken by different cameras and photographers. The one that Paul posted is almost square while the other one is more rectangular. What is certain is that they are the same three men on the same train at just about the same time.

Good find PM!

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Depending on whether they were cropped they may have been taken by different cameras and photographers. The one that Paul posted is almost square while the other one is more rectangular. What is certain is that they are the same three men on the same train at just about the same time.

Good find PM!

PM's shot is definitely the better quality photo. The contrast is better, all the guys are smiling, the font guy's feet aren't chopped off and he isn't growing a spigot from his head like in Cyberias shot. Both quality photos though.

The idea that it was two different cameras is interesting. Could even be the same photographer with two cameras.

Great stuff guys!

[cyberia]

OK, the one of the three men on the train is one of 26 that are numbered in ink with triple digits in the upper left hand corner, but not sequential with any others. Now I put those aside and together.

This jives with what I posted earlier that a photo tech at one of my wife's newspapers said the photos I gave him, including one of the inked three digit series, had been screened and fixed for publication.

Now, since these are in a BundesArchiv that leads me to think some of these at least were government photos.

So how a load of them end up in my Uncle's possession.

Time to query the BundesArchiv.

Thanks Chuck, at last a lead.