Effects of Reenactors on the Photographic History of WWI

[jluetjen]

I'm curious what other people's thoughts are on this subject. With the growth of the reenactor scene, I've started to see more of what appear to be pictures of reenactors being presented as "actual" historical WWI pictures. While i'm not a reenactor, I get the attraction of the hobby. Very often at events I've noticed that they will stage pictures -- once again I get it, it's part of reliving the part and a way to show off the equipment which has been so carefully collected.

But my concern is of these well intentioned "forgeries" getting interpreted as original contemporary pictures from the time and corrupting the historical record. For example I discussed one of the pictures that showed up on this forum a while back in the relevent thread.

Here's a picture from Museumsstifung Post und Telekommunikation that recently came up in a search that I did. Now maybe the museum have the original photograph with photographer's mark, but when compared with this picture of roughly the same subject -- do you see the differences? Admittedly -- different time and place, but...

1st Picture (forgery?):

feldpost-briefe-erster-weltkrieg-100__v-img__3__4__xl_-f4c197f4ebda83c772171de6efadd3b29843089f.jpg (64.16 KiB) Viewed 5002 times

2nd Picture (appears real):

igdw_bd_2_220_2_teaser.jpg (132.77 KiB) Viewed 5002 times

1) In the first image the soldiers are relaxing in their Pickelhaubes. Unless actively on duty (and often even then), early WWI pictures usually show the German soldiers wearing the feldmutzen -- as in the 2nd picture. The German soldiers loved their feldmutzen. Glancing through some authentic "Kriegs Albums" that I have, I could barely find a picture that had German solders casually wearing their Pickelhaubes unless they were: A) In formation B) in an outdoor church service or C) in the cavalry. In all of the other pictures, the soldiers are wearing feldmutzens.

2) In the second picture, the uniforms are far more worn and disheveled. I don't have the impression that most german soldiers of the era campaigned with spare uniforms. The uniforms shown in the first picture look too new and stiff. Once you've been lying, walking, sleeping and crawling in the same uniform for a few days -- they start to ride up in some places, and settle into creases in others. You can see that in the 2nd picture, but not the first. Also the solders in the first picture don't appear to have anything in the pockets of their uniforms. Note how the subjects of the other two pictures (especially the large group picture) appear to have their life's belonging stuffed into the main pockets of their jackets. Finally -- where is the mud on the boots? Any ground that is marched across by a regiment or division will be muddy. Where's the mud. Once again - - note the boots in the other two pictures.

3) Image contrast -- Note how in the 2nd image, there are no pure whites or pure blacks, but just variations of a certain tint of gray. In the first picture, the pieces of mail and the cigarette really "pop" out of the picture. Not to mention you can make out the subjects of photographs spread on the left. That looks like way too much contrast and too fine of a film grain for what would be an early 20th century "snap shot" as opposed to a studio picture.

4) I don't know about anyone else, but if I was on campaign in a foreign country -- the last thing that I'd do with mail from home is scatter it on the ground. It is precious! In the second picture -- note how carefully everyone is holding their stationary. Much like when I travel for business, I rarely spread things out in the hotel room for fear that something important will get lost or forgotten when I leave. The soldiers in the second picture are doing the same thing -- personal effects are staying close at hand (or in-hand) in case they need to leave on short notice. The solders reading their mail in the first picture look like they are not expecting an NCO to suddenly appear yelling "ALARM!" or commanding them to form-up and move out. They look too comfortable.

5) Finally, when in the rear (as opposed to in the trenches), It's not that common to see pictures of just a few soldiers in the field like this. Here's a different picture again with essentially the same subject -- note that it looks like the whole zug is there ready to get their mail!

Did the Museumsstifung Post und Telekommunikation get duped?

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi jluetjen,

You are right. It is a problem for the historical record.

If done deliberately to deceive others, it is a form of what the Americans call, "Stolen Valor".

I know a part time militaria dealer who is part of a US Army reenactment group in the U.K.. He is plump and in his late 50s. He and his Jeep have already appeared in a black and white photo in a publication. It was taken while parked outside a local cinema that is little changed since the 1940s. It is simply labelled "US troops outside the ****** Cinema." It happened without his knowledge.

We are at the point where we might need a national registry of contemporary photographs. God alone knows who will police and pay for it, though.

Cheers,

Sid.