Original German WWII Heer Army Panzergrenadier Personal Photo Album with Multiple Pictures of Sd.Kfz. 251 Armored Half-track - 49 Photos

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Here we have a wonderful Army Heer Panzergrenadier personal photo album, filled with what looks to be almost entirely personal photographs. It is a private purchase type, not one of the military types, and has a lovely black leatherette cover. We do not see any names or writing on the interior, and it is also missing the original binding cord that would keep the pages in place, though this also makes it much easier to see the pictures. The album measures approximately 8 3/4” x 6 1/4”, and has a lovely worn look to it.

A total of 49 photographs fill the pages of this album, making it a treasure-trove of images taken from the viewpoint of a young, patriotic German soldier. These are contained on 25 pages, many of which have "onion skin" separators between them. Most photos are held in place with corner tabs, and there are multiple pictures of soldiers in the field, including some that show windmills. We can see mostly Army personnel, but there are also some that show Luftwaffe personnel as well.

The best pictures are later in the album however, which show multiple Sd.Kfz. 251 Armored Half-tracks, both parked in formation, and moving in the field. It's very rare to find actual photos of armored vehicles moving in the field, and this is one of the few times that we have had a photo album with them. Perhaps someone very familiar with the landscape in Europe might be able to actually identify where the pictures were taken! Definitely some great display and research potential here!

Historical records like this album have become priceless time capsules that provide an incomparable level of insight into the individual experience of the Second World War, now that almost eighty years have passed.

The older albums such as these usually withstand the ravages of time. The leather or fabric covers may wear, but the pages stay well intact. The black paper albums of the early 20th century are more fragile, while the glue from magnetic albums can damage photographs. And, as with all old photographs, keep albums in a safe, climate controlled environment.