I have this family photo, and for the life of me, I can’t figure where this photo was taken The soldier is wearing a first model greatcoat, so this had to be taken during early early winter or late late winter. I highly doubt that this was taken in Russia, it would be terribly snowing. I feel lie this was in the first invasion of Poland, with the rubble on the stairs. I feel like this was a fort at some point, or barracks. He is a Replacement soldier, holding only one K98 pouch, so most likely the first invasion of Poland. I believe that this was taken during 1941-1942 with the first model of the greatcoat.
a) try looking at back of photo. Some description ? even the photo developer name and town ?
b)you say ‘family’ ? FAMILY ? Then you should be able to disclose more info on your family Kampfwachtsoldat !
c) Russia isn’t always about heavy snow, you know. You have this meteorologic transition between hot summer and ice cold winter, called “nippy” weather . Also in Russia.
d) If Poland at the first invasion (was there a second invasion ?), then surely you mean 1939… september…warm, damp , Polish autumn.
e) Holding one pouch ? Well, afterall he is clearly a stationary GUARD not requiring tons of explosive material at ammunition for weeks, he is guarding some sort of low value object.
Clean coat. Clean helmet. Clean gun. Clean boots.And fairly “old” man (sentry). Yet rubble at the steps.
f) my guess, they are barracks (long line of row"houses"…but too small for family houses…without the personal touch of families), and with the rubble, may just as well be a bombed terrain in Germany proper during the air war over Germany. As the scale of devastation is small, I guess in the early stages when only Britain was sending a couple of bombers here and there; 1941 is my educated guess.
So nothing particularly exciting job for your “uncle” ?
