Hand-colorized WW2 portraits

[Freiwillige]

Here I'd like to share with you some WW2 portraits from my collection that had been hand-colorized nearly 70 years ago. These are originals not colorized nowadays using modern PC programs. The technique used at that time looks a bit naive but it was a considerable step forward in bringing soldiers' memories back home to their loved ones.

No.1 Luftwaffe Fähnrich in the rank of Unterfeldwebel. Note the "KS" Latin letters on the shoulder boards that stand for Luftkriegsschulen.

[Freiwillige]

No.2 Luftwaffe Gefreiter from one of the Flak regiments decorated by the EKII. 

[Freiwillige]

No.3 Pionier or Baupionier/Bausoldat of Luftwaffe. 

[Freiwillige]

No.4 Just Flieger. 

[Freiwillige]

No.5 Lower rank from the Infanterie-Regiment 45. 

[Freiwillige]

No.6 Grenadier Josef Offenberger (1926, Oberhaselbach, Bavaria - 1944, Netherlands).

[Freiwillige]

No.7 Wehrmacht Gefreiter, Ostfront veteran. 

[Freiwillige]

No.8 Very large photo of the Unteroffizieranwärter in the rank of Gefreiter. Ostmedaille, Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz.

[Paul R]

Those are some great photos. How long did it take you to accumilate them all?

[Freiwillige]

Those are some great photos.  How long did it take you to accumilate them all?

Thanks for your reply!   I'm collecting photos (mainly WW2) for at least ten years already so these shown here are 0,00000..1 percent of my collection  If it's interesting for the Club members I'll post more photos 

[Paul R]

Please do post more! I would love to see any Lufwaffe images. Especially those of LW Administrative Beamte, Luftschutz, SHD, or LSW personnel!

[Freiwillige]

Please do post more!  I would love to see any Lufwaffe images.  Especially those of LW Administrative Beamte, Luftschutz, SHD, or LSW personnel!

Ok, will do it in separate topics!

[Freiwillige]

No.9 Very large (nearly A4 size!) portrait of the Kriegsmarine Matrose made in the Paris atelier (63 Boulevard de Rochechouart ).

[Freiwillige]

No.10 Beautiful portrait of the Luftwaffe Nachrichtenhelferin Elsbeth Mueller that came within the large grouping of that girl.

[Thomas Symmonds]

Hello -

Those photos are fantastic.

I have a few of my father in uniform, 1942, and yes they do look very amateurish, almost as if they are coloured in using colour pencils.

Do you know the name of the technique used? How this "clouring-in" was achieved?

regards

Thomas

[Freiwillige]

Hello - Those photos are fantastic. 

I have a few of my father in uniform, 1942, and yes they do look very amateurish, almost as if they are coloured in using colour pencils.

Do you know the name of the technique used? How this "clouring-in" was achieved?

regards Thomas

Thanks, Thomas! As for the technique, it was quite simple: strongly diluted water-based paint was applied over the photograph's emulsion. All the rest depended on the photographer's skill as it could be seen in this topic - some photos are very gently and close-to-life colourized, a couple of photos too vivid.