Photo numbers

[Nickanor]

Hello!

Please help me.
I have two german ww2 photos from one photoalbum. The first is dated September (without year). There is number "42" in the corner.


The second photo is dated April 1942. There is number "81".


Does it means that the first photo was taken earlier - in September 1941?

Regards,
Nickolay

[Christoph Awender]

Hello,

These are copy numbers. In many cases soldiers gave their films to either local or shops in germany where they often ordered copies for their comrades etc.. There was also the possibility to develop the film in a divisional or other military office. With these numbers the comrades were able to order copies of the photo from so called "Kontaktabzügen" which were small copies of the photo. Usually each film started with new numbers.

/Christoph

[Nickanor]

Thanks!
Does any number indicates that a photo is a copy?
Are copies numbered in random order?

Regards,
Nickolay

[hucks216]

The photos were numbered from 1 to whatever the final photo was, maybe 1 to 50 or 1 to 100. If there is a small number in the bottom corner such as those shown then chances are that there are other ones 'out there' somewhere as they were available for soldiers to order as already mentioned. They are copies in the strictest sense of the word but copied so that all the soldiers could order the ones they wanted to keep or send home.