German Raw Combat Footage from Normandy (June-July 1944)

After the successful Allied landings in Normandy on June 6th, 1944, an almost 3-months long campaign of bitter fighting in Northern France ensured, in which the Allies only managed to break out of the Normandy bridgehead in late July/early August 1944. 

A lot of the combat during that period took place in the rural areas of Normandy, in often confusing terrain with densely grown bushes and hedges, which caused many casualties on both sides.

The Allies had around 65,700 deaths, while the Germans had around 50,000 deaths, and an additional 200,000 German soldiers became POWs. 

Additionally, the Allies lost around 4,000 tanks and 4,100 aircrafts, compared to around 2,000 tanks and 2,100 aircraft on the German side.

This video shows some German combat footage from Normandy, including advance of German infantry, destroyed Allied tanks and Allied prisoners.

Since this is raw footage, there are no subtitles.

Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtWXLMeHaPs

Feldartillerie, Sturmartillerie & Nebelwerfer in Normandy (1944)

In the 1944 Battle of Normandy, German artillery was a significant factor in the defense, particularly in coastal fortifications and on the field. German artillery was divided into terrestrial (Heeresartillerie) and naval (Marineartillerie) branches, with the latter often responsible for coastal batteries. German field artillery was a mix of various calibers, including the 88mm gun, Nebelwerfers (multi-barrel rocket launchers), and mortars. German artillery was also used in counter-attacks against Allied advances, particularly in the Falaise pocket. German forces also used captured artillery, including French and Soviet guns, in their defenses.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

Küstenartillerie (Coastal Artillery) in Normandy

In 1944, German coastal artillery played a crucial role in the defense of Normandy, particularly along the Atlantic Wall, a system of fortifications built to deter an Allied invasion. Several key artillery batteries were strategically located, like those at Longues-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc, and Maisy, to target Allied landing beaches and naval forces. These batteries, armed with heavy guns, were designed to fire at long ranges, posing a significant threat to the advancing Allied troops

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

German forces hold up Allied advance north of Rome (1944)

In June 1944, German forces held up the Allied advance north of Rome due to a series of strong defensive lines and strategic terrain. The Allies faced the Gustav Line, a heavily fortified position stretching from the coast to the Apennines, including Monte Cassino. This line, and other German defenses like the Volturno and Barbara lines, forced the Allies into a prolonged and costly campaign.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 720 - 21 June 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-DzDJmt5F8

Why German Soldiers Fought with their Sleeves Rolled up

To date, there are not so many people left who remember and saw with their own eyes the events of the Second World War, and you and I, the descendants, can only observe the events of those years from documentary chronicles, photographs, or from artistic paintings that were shot in Soviet Union or already in our time.

Surely, many of you have noticed how German soldiers appeared in newsreels with a proud expression on their faces, leisurely walking with an MP40 machine gun in their hands. And almost always their sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, while Soviet soldiers never did this.

What is the reason for such wearing of military clothes. I would like to note right away that in this situation we are not talking about any military traditions. It was all about the form itself.

The fabric from which the German uniform was sewn consisted of two-thirds of wool, the rest of viscose. The quality and characteristics of the appearance of the clothes were at a high level. In the cold season, in this form it was quite warm, but this plus turned into a minus at the same time. Heat transfer is disturbed in woolen products and because of this, it was very hot in a woolen military uniform in the warm season, unlike cotton clothes. Toward the middle of the war, the German uniform began to be sewn, it was from cotton, but the rolling up of the sleeves by the Wehrmacht soldiers on the tunic had already become a habit. Apparently, the charter did not prohibit such wearing of a military uniform, and the officers turned a blind eye to this. However, discomfort in warm weather is not the only reason for rolling up sleeves. We all know that natural wool is a rather prickly material, and those who have worn a wool sweater on their naked body at least once understand what is at stake and remember how the skin itches after that.

As for the soldiers of the Red Army, their uniforms were sewn almost entirely from cotton fabric, as a result of which it was much lighter and more practical. Cotton also breathed well, was a versatile fabric for heat and cold. Plus, the tunics of Soviet soldiers were distinguished by a special cut. The sleeves were slightly tapered, so rolling up the sleeves was quite difficult and impractical.

Source :
https://dzen.ru/media/id/5fdf902d0199050378ad334d/pochemu-nemeckie-soldaty-voevali-zasuchiv-rukava-60771d448fb1c273054dd6bb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:German_troops_in_Russia_-_NARA_-_540156_(cropped).tif

Motorcyclist in Action

Original period postcard of the" Unsere Wehrmacht" series, showing Kradschütze in action: "An die Deckung heran...Feuer" (Get to cover... Fire). The postcard was sent in August 1943 by a member of the 4. Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung.

Source :
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/postkarte-postcard-kradsch%C3%BCtze-an-die-deckung-heran-feuer

German Soldiers in Action in the Ostfront

Some "gung-ho" poses in Russia, but still provides great detail of their kit! 50mm mortar rounds ammo box carried on the left.

 

Source :
ECPAD Archives, courtesy of Blanluet Christophe
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158920096493308&set=basw.AbpphY3aQP4rfiASDQNz1jol9qPEEmN16BxlB1uYebChBft0wNM2QGBidX9GAqF1cyw_E_ZpVoRTMJ_komz-F5iJnB8CERmhR6ZmrEZpp05e4Zm0IHwzhjFrlGZmZk67fAw&opaqueCursor=Abq2JyFvAHyrSVGL8HDWYFg52IwW3RCi6xSlZ7zBQgn9f6-gLzDPFaFZzfAC9C9GOCtGSuVtMHaW_Rj8cPykFLRvB6gqZreN_MtHSagZ1jZZtHLHg5sjB4KmI6_I0e5xvGM_IKEbQ-50u5u8U4JHjUqDBIm1Dom1HqazGygv1cR6x0FIPYEiiChNwHye7oEjdmDRg0IGU7kHerJSZPcS1uVKSSOmP46tHGx47_Z4DTCykhs_FyaJGtYHhKEO0ypXxHsMSn6nj3p0Ikhm8KuTGg93RpX6Xw-a2hjbYbwoyg3rfEV6A4Z3N5VrW5wGo6MHonI0bRHD027vghKTnz_Ix6v7-q3YrucfNlCdmUlzke1izOt_W6aDpc2DH8NSsJHlCe_LMKB-LcrU0H2ItvtWYeSn4LfcLS_DSMMxHlrXC7dpZgcOBMy44IGFNfoAAlqR35yGpP4IKv4A-S4DvVfo394OKQfdoBL4kIDfcFrRhKSxIg34Dk_0ofIOtvzB-sAi1CvxaaacN_bNxPr_khNyJ2fU-yDs7PUlOPqLau5RGYSEm24tWGonfDGDFXe5ytzZNADQ22_a_ee1W2ANIO3ZWywoVi29YTvaoDZFC2z6OzUaoo5fbYsH_yuuPQ4BHUPXLps-oj7bEtpxkpBh1MrLjCrfLyDmGZvJ7WDw3bvKac5XRTARerGzwnNLd0gZ7ZA9YvTLMW0SusET5jxkxDtgfuAo

Russian Sniper Captured by the SS

Soviet Union, 1942: Waffen-SS soldiers captured a Russian sniper and dragged him from his hole (one of them smashes his rifle). There is little chance that this sniper would come out alive, because any sniper never fares very well when captured by the enemy, but captured by the SS? It's the worst scenario! BTW, The SS soldier on the left wears a Soviet padded Telogreika/Vatnik, a warm cotton wool-padded jacket.

Source :
https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/4a3wy4/waffenss_captured_a_russian_sniper_one_of_them/

SS Reich Soldiers Seeking Cover in Russia

On leaving the Soviet village near Yelnya, the SS-Division "Reich" troops were fired on. forcing the men to seek cover in a ditch near the road. This photograph was taken during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The battle around Yelnya (30 August - 8 September 1941) was the first substantial reverse that the Wehrmacht had suffered during Barbarossa. Nazi propaganda presented the retreat as a planned operation. For its part, Soviet propaganda hailed the offensive as a major success and wanted to draw worldwide attention to it. Thus, the Yelnya battle was the first occasion on which foreign correspondents in the Soviet Union were allowed to visit the front. Seven of eight of them visited the area between 15 and 22 September 1941. In the words of British war correspondent Alexander Werth, the battle was built up in the Soviet Press "out of all proportion to its real or ultimate importance".

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150187757932/on-leaving-the-soviet-village-the-das-reich
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yelnya_Offensive
http://histomil.com/viewtopic.php?t=3918&start=4010

Das Reich Battles Their Way in Russia

An advance party from the Das Reich Division has encountered another Soviet defensive position during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The men dismount from their vehicles to move forward in open formation.

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150224587347/an-advance-party-from-the-das-reich-division-has

German Soldiers in the Battle of Stalingrad

A German Wehrmacht Oberstabsfeldwebel (Sergeant-Major) and a non-commissioned Stabsfeldwebel officer (First Sergeant, or Master Sergeant equivalent) battle enemy Soviet troops outside of Stalingrad, just prior to the Battle of Stalingrad. The German offensive to capture Stalingrad began on 23 August 1942, using the German 6th Army and elements of the 4th Panzer Army. The attack was supported by intensive Luftwaffe bombing that reduced much of the city to rubble. The fighting degenerated into pitched house-to-house fighting as both sides poured reinforcements into the city. Near Stalingrad (now, Volgograd), Volgograd Oblast, Russia, Soviet Union. 10 July 1942.

Source :
http://bag-of-dirt.tumblr.com/post/143290010165/a-german-wehrmacht-oberstabsfeldwebel