Third Reich in color

I always have enjoyed collecting private pictures from WW2. Years back I purchased this slide grouping that included about 200 colored ones. I just purchased a new scanner so I thought I would try a few. Eventually once I have worked out all the kinks with the new equipment I will scan the entire collection using a high resolution. Interested as always with your feed back

 

If the color was in the original then it's probably Agfachrome. There's a documentary just out where they added high-def color to the old WW1 films with the sound being recording of vets" accounts. Supposed the be excellent-and soul-searing. Anyone seen it yet?

 

Can't say I have.

I always find color images make things seem more...real. BW images make it feel like it was a looooong time ago, with no real visual connection. But once you add the color....always love images like those!

 

I did see the promo regarding the colorization of the WW1 film and also heard it was excellent. I believe the title is "They Shall Not Grow Old".

 

Yes, that is the title and yes, it is an excellent documentary. It was first screened here in the UK in cinemas and then on a BBC television channel a few weeks later.

It was produced by Peter Jackson who is famous for the Lord of the Rings movies and what a fantastic job his team did of restoring the old WW1 footage. The old film footage was first slowed to a speed which made the movements of the soldiers look more natural, it was then visually restored, colourised and voice recordings of WW1 veterans that were made in the 60s, were added. The finished result makes the footage look like it was filmed yesterday!

 

I have been playing around with the scanner and wanted to post a few more slides.

 

Thanks. I will keep posting them as I get them scanned. There are about 1800 B&W ones that I have not really gone through.

 

The pictures with the 5cm mortar suggests that they were shot early in the war. Does anyone know when color film became available in Germany? These are probably the work of Herr Goebbels's minions. They would have the first call on any new technology.

 

While it's always impressive to see colored photos of combat action, I sincerely appreciate seeing photos of the soldiers away from combat, where they can maybe be the person they were before the war for just a moment, it makes it incredibly real, and striking. It's funny how something as simple as a change from black and white to color makes such a huge difference......

 

Spent some more time on the slides. As I go through I think they are a mix of the Normandy coastline and also part from Operation Barbarossa (just my opinion) Any feed back would be great. I was very surprised by the first slide I scanned. Different ends of the spectrum I guess....



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A few More

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These next slides are definitely from Russia. I have been getting use to the new scanner and trying to clean up minor defects in the slides. Always interested in feedback

 

Here's one which I cleaned up a bit in Photoshop. Just a quick job -- only spent about 5 minutes on it. One could get much better results if you'd spend more time (and weren't partially colourblind.....)

 

Alan, thanks for your kind words and your time. I will keep that in mind as I share my collection

 

No problem. If you'd like to can touch up some of these as I have time. As long as you don't mind a partially colourblind fellow editing your photos!

 

Thanks Alan, I am going to start to loop back on some of them. You are more than welcome to touch up any that you wish.

 

Interesting to think, they had no idea that that picture would end up on a forum in 2019...

 

I also started looking at some of the B&W and thought the following were interesting