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German press photograph from the Second World War, distributed in the occupied Netherlands in April 1942, depicting three officers of the Wehrmacht: Hauptmann Recklies on the left, Major Haase in the centre, and Hauptmann Busch on the right. Major Haase, commander of a German engineer battalion (Pionierbataillon) and leader of the battle group known as Kampfgruppe Haase, is shown wearing the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).
In the photograph, Major Haase wears the Knight’s Cross suspended from his neck and the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) on the left breast of his tunic. The other two officers also wear the Iron Cross 1st Class. Their uniforms and insignia identify their respective military ranks.
The reverse retains the original typewritten press caption, headed “Kampfgruppe Haase”, referring to the German Armed Forces High Command (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, OKW) communiqué of 13 April 1942.
According to the caption, Major Haase, commanding a German engineer battalion and a battle group under his leadership, had particularly distinguished himself during the successful defence of a heavily contested fortified position over several weeks. The communiqué highlights the actions of his formation and directly associates the photograph with an official German military announcement.
The caption also identifies the two officers accompanying Major Haase as commanders within his battle group: Captain Recklies, on the left, and Captain Busch, on the right. The document does not specify the exact location of the fighting or the number of the engineer battalion.
The reverse bears several agency, censorship and distribution stamps, documenting the circulation of the photograph during the German occupation of the Netherlands.
These include a green stamp from Rella – Internationale Persfoto Centrale, located at Singel 214, Amsterdam-C, identifying the press agency responsible for handling or distributing the photograph in the Netherlands.
Another stamp bears the Dutch inscription “Deze foto is vrijgegeven door de Duitsche Censuur” (This photograph has been approved by German censorship), together with the date “28 APR. 1942”. This marking documents the photograph’s clearance by the German censorship authorities in the occupied Netherlands on 28 April 1942, fifteen days after the military communiqué referenced in the caption.
A further commercial or photographic archive marking reads “PHOTO – Hamburg 11 – Börsengebäude, III. Stock”, relating to the photograph’s provenance or distribution.
Although the exact date on which the photograph was taken is not recorded, the reverse markings establish its circulation in April 1942. The combination of the image, named officers, reference to the OKW communiqué and censorship stamps provides historical evidence of German military press photography and wartime information and propaganda procedures during the Second World War.
24’5 x 18 cm
Original German Second World War press photograph, Kampfgruppe Haase, April 1942. Depicts Hauptmann Recklies, Major Haase, recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, and Hauptmann Busch. Reverse retains original typewritten press caption, reference to the OKW communiqué of 13.04.1942, Rella – Internationale Persfoto Centrale agency stamp from Amsterdam, German censorship approval dated 28.04.1942 and Hamburg 11 photographic marking. Period press photograph distributed in the occupied Netherlands.
