Looking for this picture in bigger size/resolution

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#1

Hi,

I’m looking for this very famous picture of a SS machinne gunner in Poteaux (Bulge) holding a Browning Hi-Power pistol.

Thanks,

Douglas

ardennes_2.jpg
ardennes_2.jpg450×624 43.9 KB

#2

I kind of doubt you would get it any better than this.

#3

I have four different photos of this soldier; but I do not have that photo in a better resolution.

  1. Him pulling a can of food out of an armoured vehicle (cigarette in mouth).

  2. Him standing with MG in hand, among 4 other soldiers (cigarette in mouth).

  3. Close up of him with knife in lapel clearly visible (most famous photo, and no cigarette in mouth).

  4. The photo you have. I also have this photo in a worse resolution, but it’s slightly larger showing the butt of the Browning.

#4

Thanks to both of you. :smiley:
Yeah, I know that this picture is a tough one to find in better resolution. The other pictures of him mentioned I have already.
It is a shame that this guy was never identified. I bet he would make a fortune with the rights of his image using in TV, modelling kist, books, etc… :rolleyes:

Greetings,

Douglas

#5

All I ‘know’ is that he was in the 1st SS division, I believe KG Hansen.

ps. what resolutions do you have the other photos in?

#6

I’ve been to the Poteau Museum lately and read that this particular German soldier was indeed identified. He survived the war but chose to remain anonymously.
BTW, in 2004 an identic pistol was dug out on the ground of the museum which is only a couple of hundred yards away from the location of the ambush. They’re still wondering if it’s this guy’s weapon…

#7

I’ll check that when I arrive at home.
I can post them here.

Douglas

#8

Some have claimed his name is Walter Armbrusch, SS-Schütze rank, a MG-42 gunner; but the identity is disputed.

He belonged to 2nd Company, 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Regt, 1st LAH Panzer Division.

Apparantly his pistol is a Belgian 9mm Browning 640 (b).

They Ambushed a US Cavalry Recon unit (14th Calvary Group) from 7th Armored, on the 18th Dec 1944 - during the Battle of the Bulge - at Poteau; which is where these photos came from. Taken by German photographer ‘Kreigsberichter’, and were used for German propaganda.

Some have suggested these guys didn’t do the ambush, but were just used for the photo-shoot.

The best place to go for good photos may be the Poteau Museum that Flamethrowerguy mentioned:

http://www.museum-poteau44.be/

I looked through my photos again. I have at least seven photos of this guy.

  1. Him standing between two soldiers, in front of a US armoured vehicle.

6 & 7. Are poor quality shots, probably taken at the same time as # 5.

I do have the photo you are looking for in:
600 x 722 8bpp weighing 237.81 kb. But it looks like it came from the Poteau Museum originally and may only be very slighty better quality than the one they have on their site now.

I’ll upload it when I get the chance.

cheers,
Saxon

#9

I’ve seen good pics from this series in the book “Battle of the Bulge, Then and Now” by After the Battle publications.

#10

Just so everyone knows, “Kriegsberichter” means war reporter. That’s a title, not a name.