Staged photo or?

[Martin Kirkegaard]

I have this friend, who has bought this photo at a fleemarket in Canada. We are having a hard time figuring out, if the shot is staged or not? The German soldier on the left is holding a Russian SMG, which wasn't uncommon right?

What do you guys think? and is that a Russian or German boot, you can spot in the right side of the photo?

[Gen. Erwin Rommel]

Ok this is a strange picture, in my opinion, the boot is from a dead body, or from someone runing out of the hole, about the Russian SMG i know the germans used them because they worked better than the germans SMG in dirty places, like AK-47, about the russian soldier i think he jumped to the hole in the moment they were going to took the picture, i think in other situation the Russian of the German would be dead already, and of course, maybe the German or the Russian got the weapon struck, or un out of ammo.

[CHRISCHA]

I would say this is definately staged.
The Russian and the German appear to be armed with MP-40's.

[Kurasier]

Hi,
the russian soldier has in my opinion a PPS 43 or a PPSH41 SMG.
THis photo is very moving. Try to imagine what these soldiers think and how the situation ended.
Best Regards
Christoph

[Gen. Erwin Rommel]

German Killed the Russian in my opinion, since German solder weapon in aming the Russian soldier, and the russian weapon is not aiming the german soldier. but lots of things can hapend, the weapon can get struck, another German soldier may be in the hoel and shot the russian, another russian soldiers may throw a grenade to the hole, or 50 russian may be on the way, we only have one chance, and that is find the guy who took the pic. If he is Alive of course

[Martin Kirkegaard]

Here's a scanned and inlarged photo of the Russian soldier. Look at his sidearm holster? Does that look like a stick to any of you?

[Martin Kirkegaard]

I should add that the photo was bought at a fleemarket in Nova Scotia, Canada, where apparently a lot of Germans emigrated to after the war. The outcome of it, must have been in the German's favor!

[Dennis Redler]

Come on guys, get real. This is obviously a still taken from some Hollywood-type movie, a publicity photo of some kind. :roll: There are hundreds of war movies out there that you will never get the chance to see.

[Christoph Awender]

I also would say it is a staged foto. No real evidence for that.... just the situation doesn´t look real. I doubt that a Kriegsberichter would take a foto in such a situation.
Just some things which bother me (as said no clear evidence). The russian (officer?) is alone. No equipment, weapons, clothes, ammo in the trench. The trench doesn´t really look used (tree branch).
I find it strange that the russian has the carrier belt around the shoulder in combat....
just a few things that come to my mind.

what is on the back of the foto. A company stamp? Is it a old foto or a copy?

\Christoph

[Bill Medland]

Come on Guys!
I spent 12 years battle reenacting, and I think that is what it is!
The "Russian" looks very American to me, and some of the
equipment looks out of place,just look at the trench,does that
really look eastern front?
We have all seen original photos, but never showing the enemy
that close up in combat.
I have a lot of black and white reenacting photos like this one
taken in 1978.

Regards,Bill.

[Martin Kirkegaard]

Thanks guys, I will pass the info on, and find out if there's a stamp or something written on the back of it.

Oh, and about the trench's soil. I know a guy from Latvia, who says the following about the trench:

1. if you look at the soil in the trench its not solid (SAND)
2. The quantity of fir trees

Both these facts make the location anywhere from Leningrad all the way down to Gedansk to about 150 to 200 km inland where the soil become more solid.

[Gen. Erwin Rommel]

Your friend from Latvia may be right, that can be somewhere near Leninegrad in the German resistence box during the 41-42 Winter.

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

If I had been the Russian soldier, I wouldn't have jumped into the trench (and thus making sure the Germans see me), bur rather shoot the Germans in the trench while they will have a hard time getting away...

Christian

[Gewitter]

Take a look at the lighting in the photograph, does it seem a little bit modern to you?