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Operation Barbarossa in Rare Pictures, 1941

Operation Barbarossa (Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the German codename for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II, which commenced on June 22, 1941. It was to be the turning point for the fortunes of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich, i…

Women at War Seen Through Rare Photographs, 1939-1945

The Second World War changed the United States for women, and women in turn transformed their nation. Over three hundred fifty thousand women volunteered for military service, while twenty times as many stepped into civilian jobs, including positions pr…

The Amazing Story of Finland in World War II Through Rare Photographs From 1939-1945

For most of Finland's history, the country had lived on the periphery of world events, but for a few weeks during the winter of 1939-40, Finland stood at the center of the world stage. Finland's stand against Soviet aggression aroused the world's admira…

The North African Campaign in Historical Pictures From 1940-1943

Fighting in North Africa stemmed from the area’s strategic importance to the Commonwealth. Egypt’s Suez Canal, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, was a vital transport artery. Oil in particular had become a critical strategic commodity due…

German Invasion of Western Europe and the Fall of France Through Rare Pictures From 1940

In the spring of 1940, an emboldened Germany asserted itself as a modern conqueror of nations, successfully invading and occupying six countries in fewer than 100 days. On April 9, 1940, Germany invaded Denmark, which capitulated in a mere six hours. At…

The German Occupation of Kharkov in Color Photographs, 1941

These photos taken by Johannes Hähle depict the civilian population of Kharkov under occupation by Nazi Germany (all pictures are taken in October and November 1941). As a member of Construction Battalion 146, Hähle participated in the invasion of Franc…

Wilhelm ‘Willi’ Hübner: One of the Youngest Recipients of the Iron Cross, 1945

As casualties mounted during the Second World War, Germany was forced to call up ever-younger conscripts to fill the ranks of the Wehrmacht. So dire was the situation at the end of 1944, that boys born in 1928 were called up to serve the Fatherland. The…

German Commandos Captured in American Uniform are Prepared for Execution, 1944

The soldiers in the picture were executed after a military trial found them in violation of the Hague convention concerning land warfare, article 23: "It's especially forbidden [...], to make improper use of a flag of truce, of the national flag or of the …

Herbert List’s Pictures From the German-Occupied Ukraine, 1943

Herbert List was a German photographer, who worked for magazines, including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Life, and was associated with Magnum Photos. He traveled regularly between Greece, Italy, and Paris until the outbreak of World War II, when he settl…

Rare Photographs of the Reichstag Fire Incident in 1933

The Reichstag fire came amid “a campaign of unparalleled violence and bitterness” by then-Chancellor Adolf Hitler, in advance of an approaching German election, and it turned a building that was “as famous through Germany as is the dome of the Capitol in W…

Nazi Rally in Buenos Aires Through Rare Photographs, 1938

Before the war Argentina hosted a strong, very-well-organized pro-Nazi element that was controlled by the German ambassador. In the spring of 1938, some 20,000 Nazi supporters attended a "Day of Unity" rally held at the Luna Park stadium in Buenos Aires…

Deputy Mayor Ernst Kurt Lisso and His Family after Committing Suicide by Cyanide to Avoid Capture by US Troops, 1945

As the Red Army and the Western Allies pressed closer and closer to Berlin suicides grew. Thousands of Germans committed suicide in the spring of 1945, rather than face occupation and the expected abuse by their victors. 3,881 people were recorded as co…

Muslim Members of the Waffen-SS 13th Division at Prayer during their Training in Germany, 1943

The photo is taken during the division training at Neuhammer. The romantic notions that Himmler had about the Bosnian Muslims were probably significant in the division's genesis. He was personally fascinated by the Islamic faith and believed that Islam …

Rare Color Photos from Pre-War Nazi Germany, 1933-1939

The photos on display here are taken by Hugo Jager, a former personal photographer of Adolf Hitler. He traveled with Hitler in the years leading up to power and throughout World War II. He was one of the few photographers who were using color photograph…

August Landmesser: The Lone Man Refusing to Do the Nazi Salute, 1936

The photo was taken at the launch of a German army vessel in 1936, during a ceremony that was attended by Adolf Hitler himself. Within the picture, a lone man stood with arms crossed as hundreds of men and women around him held up their arms in salute a…

American Nazi Party Leader George Lincoln Rockwell Confronting Martin Luther King Jr., 1965

George Lincoln Rockwell, head of the American Nazi Party, confronts Dr. Martin Luther King, the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, in front of Dallas County, Selma, Alabama. Both Rockwell and King agree to hold a debate later that evening. Rockwell was&nbsp…

American Nazi Organization Rally at Madison Square Garden, 1939

Supposedly 22,000 Nazi supporters attended a German American Bund rally at New York's Madison Square Garden in February 1939, under police guard. Demonstrators protested outside. Aside from its admiration for Adolf Hitler and the achievements of Nazi Ge…

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel Shortly after Arriving in North Africa, 1941

The Desert Fox, the most well-respected Nazi commander. German General Erwin Rommel arrives in Tripoli, Libya, with the newly formed Afrika Korps, to reinforce the beleaguered Italians' position. In January 1941, Adolf Hitler established the Afrika Korp…

Reichserntedankfest Rally: Thanksgiving Celebration of the Reich, 1934

This is the Reichserntedankfest of 1934 in Buckeberg. That year, 700,000 people participated. Even those who did not support Nazis were totally blown away and emotionally shaken. They had never experienced anything even remotely like this, there were no…