Between the Covers

Unbound. A collection of 47 mounted photographs measuring 6½" x 8½" with captions in German, housed in a green slipcase. Slight waviness on the mounts else near fine.

A collection of images documenting German trench life on the Western Front during the First World War. The photos appear to be professional and are numbered and show various shelters and trenches across battlefields in Germany and France. The images show landscape views of these trenches with handwritten captions reading, “Franz stützpunkt [French base]"; “Äussere verteidigung von Hennemont [Defense of Hennemont)"; and “Batterie im obstgarten östlich Pintheville [Battery in the orchard east of Pintheville]." Many of the photographs are landscapes of the trench encampments, a few of them show soldiers in the structures and detailed photos of weaponry.

Although trenches have been used in most conflicts, World War I saw the height of their use. According to historian, Brain Dunleavy: "they became a fundamental part of strategy with the influx of modern weapons of war. ... The brutality of trench warfare is perhaps best typified by the 1916 Battle of the Somme in France. British troops suffered 60,000 casualties on the first day of fighting alone.” The photographs featured here depict various styles of trenches and defense structures from this period.

An important resource of military photography documenting German views of the trenches of the Western Front during World War I.

Item #447319