As photography had become part of people’s daily lives during the inter-war period, numerous iconic images were taken of the Second World War, creating an album of hope and horror, of atrocities and valor. The one that perhaps represented the fighting spirit of well-mannered Great Britain most clearly was the famous picture taken by aContinue reading “The London Milkman: The Story Behind One of the Most Iconic Images of the Blitz”
Tag Archives: 1940s
Vintage Photos and the Story of “Olga the Headless Girl” in the Late 1930s and 1940s
The Headless Lady illusion was a popular magic trick performed at sideshows in the 1940s. As the story goes, the poor woman lost her head in a horrible accident, but doctors were able to keep her alive through the miracle of new scientific technology. Fargo, “Olga the Headless Girl” was an illusionary sideshow and wasContinue reading “Vintage Photos and the Story of “Olga the Headless Girl” in the Late 1930s and 1940s”
The Paratrooper’s Selfies : 12 Snapshots Whilst Falling to Earth in 1944
In 1944, Picture Post photographer Haywood Magee boarded an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber at RAF Ringway, Cheshire, England. Already onboard were men of the 10th Battalion Parachute Regiment. As one paratrooper prepared to jump, Magee handed him a camera with the instructions to aim it at his face, don’t drop the thing, and click. InContinue reading “The Paratrooper’s Selfies : 12 Snapshots Whilst Falling to Earth in 1944”
The Power of Love: Romantic Kisses From the Past That You Have Rarely Seen Today
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one’s lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, sexual activity, sexual arousal, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, peace and good luck, among many others. InContinue reading “The Power of Love: Romantic Kisses From the Past That You Have Rarely Seen Today”
20 Shocking Photos Show How French Women Were Punished by Having Their Heads Shaved Publicly for Collaborating With Nazis
At the end of World War II, many French people accused of collaboration with Germany endured a particularly humiliating act of revenge: their heads were shaved in public. There are thousands upon thousands of joyful pictures of the liberation of France in 1944. But among the cheering images there are also shocking ones. These showContinue reading “20 Shocking Photos Show How French Women Were Punished by Having Their Heads Shaved Publicly for Collaborating With Nazis”
The Story Behind the Photo of Winston Churchill With Cigar and Tommy Gun in July 1940
The photograph of Winston Churchill with the Thompson submachine gun was taken during his visit to the coastal defense positions near Hartlepool on 31 July, 1940. The interesting thing about this picture is that both the British and the Germans used it for propaganda purposes. The British edited out two soldiers standing next to Churchill,Continue reading “The Story Behind the Photo of Winston Churchill With Cigar and Tommy Gun in July 1940”
1940s Kissing Style: Photo Guide on How To Kiss Correctly, ca. 1942
LIFE magazine published this guide for actors in 1942, but it may still come in handy today. According to these romantic pictures from the magazine, there are some vital basic steps to follow to achieve the perfect clinch. First, the how-to guide recommends that kissers should not stand too far apart – pointing out thatContinue reading “1940s Kissing Style: Photo Guide on How To Kiss Correctly, ca. 1942”
The Story Behind the Photo of 10-Year-Old Japanese Boy Carries His Deceased Brother to a Cremation Pyre, 1945
This heart rending photo was taken by Joe O’Donnell, who was sent by the U.S. military to document the horrors inflicted upon the Japanese by air raids and atomic bombs in 1945. In this photo, the little boy had bought his brother to a cremation spot. He was barefooted and in perhaps trying to playContinue reading “The Story Behind the Photo of 10-Year-Old Japanese Boy Carries His Deceased Brother to a Cremation Pyre, 1945”
The Nazis’ Lebensborn Program And The Quest To Breed A Master Race
Through breeding, kidnapping, and even murder, the Nazis’ Lebensborn program aimed at creating a super race of Germanized children. Among the cruelest policies put forward by the leaders of Nazi Germany — the ghettos, the concentration camps, the gas chambers — the Nazi Lebensborn program takes up a comparatively small portion of the public consciousness.Continue reading “The Nazis’ Lebensborn Program And The Quest To Breed A Master Race”
Ravensbruck, Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women During World War II
Ravensbrück was the only major Nazi concentration camp for women. At the end of autumn 1938, Himmler decided to establish a concentration camp for women in Ravensbrück. This location was chosen by Himmler because it was out-of-the-way and at the same time easy to reach. Ravensbrück was a small village located in a beautiful areaContinue reading “Ravensbruck, Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women During World War II”
