Sources for photos of germans for new Force Specific Backgrounds

[umlaut]

Hi all

I have - like many of you probably have too - grown a bit weary of the stock Force Specific backgrounds (the pics you see while the game is loading). Jim Rinkenberger´s backgrounds were a great supplement and has helped a lot for a while, but I think they are also beginning to get a bit old.

So now I am trying to put a new - and larger - set of photos together. My intention is to focus more on quantity than quality, as it - in my opinion - is preferable to have more pictures than very good ones. In this case.

I have searched the web and have found a lot of great photos of allied troops from the battle for Normandy - especially in Wikimedia Commons.

But I have come across very few pics from the german side. There are surely many very good reasons for this - they probably had other things than photography on their minds at the time.

But I still hope I´ll be able to find more.

So: Do any of you know of sites where I can find photos of the german forces in Normandy?

[poesel]

You could try the federal German archive ("Bundesarchiv") If you search in the field "Bestand" with "Bild 101" and, for example June 1944, you get the pictures from the propaganda ministry from that month.

Here's a direct link:

http://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/archives/barchpic/search/_1362684424/

Not all pictures are free. BFC has used this source, too. You can often see the little writing in the lower right corner.

Edit:

Or easier - use the wikipedia commons. Same pictures, less hassle:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=bild+101+1944+prefix%3AFile%3ABundesarchiv&fulltext=Search&uselang=de

[Tashtego]

Something like this?

[Erwin]

Perhaps a "Kinder Gentler Face of the SS" BG mod?

[agusto]

How about that one:

[Erwin]

Not a lot of people know that amongst the Nazis' many innovations they also invented Breakdancing...

[agusto]

Something like this?

That is the Sturmkuh 42. One of germanys most secret V-Waffen projects, right after the Jagdhamster.

It is painted in germanys aircraft camo scheme:

EDIT: sorry for spamming the thread, i couldnt resist.

[umlaut]

You could try the federal German archive ("Bundesarchiv") If you search in the field "Bestand" with "Bild 101" and, for example June 1944, you get the pictures from the propaganda ministry from that month.

Here's a direct link:

http://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/archives/barchpic/search/_1362684424/

Not all pictures are free. BFC has used this source, too. You can often see the little writing in the lower right corner.

Edit:

Or easier - use the wikipedia commons. Same pictures, less hassle:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&search=bild+101+1944+prefix%3AFile%3ABundesarchiv&fulltext=Search&uselang=de

Thanks a lot. I have been trying a lot of search in Bundesarchiv in Wikimedia Commons before - without much luck. But I´ve just discovered that by widening the search from "Normandie" to "Frankreich" I will get a lot more relevant pics (for some reason most of them are fallschirmjäger).

I´ll look into your search soon (but what is "bild 101" by the way?)

Cheers

[umlaut]

Update:

That last search made all the difference!

I now have more than enough photos. But if you´re aware of some really cool ones that must be part of the backgrounds, please let me know anyway.

Thanks

[Holman]

Looking forward to seeing the new photos!

Also, I demand cow doodads.

[poesel]

I´ll look into your search soon (but what is "bild 101" by the way?)

'picture 101' - I guess it's just an internal name for the archive. Probably just the number they were at when they got the archive from the propaganda ministry. It was mentioned on the front page, that's why I knew.

[Karabekian]

Hehe, one of the originals that come with the game is not even taken in Normandy or France.

But yes, new photos will be appreciated by me too!

[Erwin]

You can also tell there is a touching relationship bond between the trooper and the cow, the way she's leaning into him.