Luftwaffe colour photos

During the Second World War some 1000 photographers were active on all German fronts to make propaganda shots for publication in well-known German magazines like Signal. Also the German Luftwaffe had its number of official photographers. Standard equipment was a Leica IIIf in dark grey Luftwaffe color. The Luftwaffe Leica’s are now well sought collector’s items! However, if you ever want to purchase one; beware for falsifications!

The camera that made German wartime photographers famous: the Leica IIIf; here in Luftwaffe version. There are a lot of fakes where standard Leica IIIf's were refurbished as Luftwaffe camera since they had a much higher price for collectors. Most likely the camera on this picture also is a fake! Photo credit- Nicodemus Roger — The camera that made German wartime photographers famous: the Leica IIIf; here in Luftwaffe version. There are a lot of fakes where standard Leica IIIf’s were refurbished as Luftwaffe camera since they had a much higher price for collectors. Most likely the camera on this picture also is a fake! Photo credit- Nicodemus Roger

German wartime photographers made sometimes use of 35mm Agfa colour film material and although much grainier than the U.S. Kodachrome film they made quite spectacular and dramatic colour pictures. Unfortunately the colours of Agfa material was much less durable than Kodak and colour of most original photos have been faded by now.

[Show as slideshow]

The colours of printed material used in books and magazines have survived much better.

The images presented here are from the book ‘Fliegende Front’ by Hauptmann W.E. Frh. von Medem published in 1942 by Verlag ‘Die Wehrmacht’ KG. in Berlin. The book must be regarded as typical propaganda material to show the German population how well the war was progressing. ‘Die Wehmacht’ published a series of other propaganda books during the war. They also released sets of photo postcards from the war

Nico Braas