Strange Soviet Standing in Stalingrad

[Angus1235]

This photo shows Germans fighting in Russia, but appears to have a Soviet Officer casually standing nearby (he has brown uniform (including peaked cap, ruling out any camouflage) and distinctly russian breeches on it seems)

Does anyone know about who this mystery man could be? My only other guess is he is Bulgarian, but I see know reason an unarmed Bulgarian officer would be standing around Stalingrad (wherever this photos taken)

[Dann Falk]

It's not in Stalingrad... maybe Kharkov 41 or Rostov in 42.

[Angus1235]

I revisited this an noticed there is a German on the left wearing what would appear to be dark blue trousers, which look similar to something a cossack or a russian officer would wear (I am assuming it was probably scavenged). is it possible that the officer to the left is a Cossack? because I thought they were issued german uniforms, but I might be wrong.

[Dann Falk]

Greetings,

It's hard to tell anything because the photo image is so small.

After thinking about this image some more, I think the fighting might be in Odessa during 1941.

1. It's summer
2. Large city
3. Clean with not much damage
4. Fighting within the city - using artillery
5. The non German troops might be Rumanians

[roarke]

Romanians, not rumanians. Why germans stand in line ? I know it is a tactic...

[mars]

It is possible that this picture was not taken in an actually combat, it could be just one of these "re-act" shot, that could explain the way that officer stands and it could be taken at a place well behind the front line

[StefanSiverud]

A quick Google search suggests it's Zhytomyr, Ukraine in August 1941.
EDIT: It may be here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... %D1%82.jpg
http://zt4ever.org.ua/actual/6?lang=ukr
It's the former Alexander II Square, later renamed Lenin Square. Looking at photos, the houses were severely damaged and appear to have been torn down and replaced with Soviet post-war era style buildings. The square appears to have been renamed Victory Square with a T-34 used as a monument and later Catherdral Square.

Don't take my word for it, though, as I'm not sure it's the right location and the Google translation service is still far from perfect.

[GregSingh]

Good find, Stefan!
Another photo of the same corner.

Zhytomyr 1941

Zhytomyr 1941

Zhiytomyr2 1941.jpg (55.87 KiB) Viewed 1098 times

[Leo Niehorster]

Romanians, not rumanians...

Rumania and even Roumania are both accepted English spellings. There is a difference between how one country and another call and write countries. Just look at how many different ways there are of designating Deutschland, starting with your country (Germania).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Germany

Examples for other countries abound. So, no need to get all excited about country designations in different languages.

Leo

[StefanSiverud]

Good find, Stefan!
Another photo of the same corner.

Thank you! Plain luck is what it was, especially seeing as the entire square with houses appears to have been rebuilt at least once since.

[David Thompson]

An off-topic post from roarke was removed by this moderator - DT.

[Dann Falk]

Just so you know...Zhytomyr is west of Kiev.