Historian Anthony Tucker-Jones https://www.atuckerjones.com is the author of more than 50 books. Life and Death on the Eastern Front: Rare Colour Photographs From World War II was published in 2020.

I categorize this book as G. The book contains more than 250 photos taken by Germans between 1936 and 1946. Most photos are of scenes on the Eastern Front up to late 1943. These are a bit unusual as they were all taken with color film. The photos, along with the commentary by Tucker-Jones, give a good description of the vehicles, weapons, and uniforms in use.

I enjoyed the 3 hours I spent reading this 352-page WWII history. Another interesting look at WWII from the German perspective. This is the third book (The others being Radio Operator on the Eastern Front: An Illustrated Memoir, 1940–1949 and Churchill, Master and Commander: Winston Churchill at War 1895–1945) from Tucker-Jones that I have read. They have all been solid WWII history reads. I like the chosen cover art. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5.

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A very good historical read on this turbulent time in history. You can feel the agony and pain of the soldiers fighting and experience the sad loss of young life at this time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good historical read. Well researched book.

Full disclosure, i received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my review.

I love war nonfiction, its my favorite genre. When I saw this book I was instantly ready to put down my other books to dive into this one. The color photographs are stunning, showing all aspects of the operation. Besides showcasing the rare photos, I most enjoyed the biographical portion about the photographer. I enjoyed knowing the story of the Nazi solider who spend his time wielding a camera, taking photos for morale, national pride, and documentation of the offensive.

I researched into Tucker-Jones other works and I am looking forward to tucking in to his other books.

Those of us that are only familiar with the black and white photos in most books about the Second World War will be shocked to realize that color photography was readily available in Nazi Germany before the start of the war. In “Life and Death on the Eastern Front: Rare Colour Photographs From World War II” Ian Spring and Anthony Tucker-Jones collect these photographs from both official propaganda sources as well as personal photos taken by the soldiers themselves.

These are almost exclusively photos from the German side. The authors group the photos by theme, focusing on the equipment (both on land and in the air), the people (soldiers, POWs, and even civilians), and scenes behind the lines. We see the effects of the war, from burning buildings to destroyed tanks, but also we see the soldiers as human beings, enjoying downtime, shaving, lying in the sun. And finally we see the weather taking a toll, from choking dusk to axle-deep mud to the dreaded Russian winter.

There is not enough one can say about the photos – they are absolutely spectacular. One forgets what a difference color makes when looking at those scenes from long ago – the soldiers, the scenery comes alive. One can abhor the Nazis and all that they stood for but feel some sympathy for the young men thrust into the deadly situation that would claim many of their lives. We see what the day-to-day lives at the front lines (and behind those lines) was like for the common soldier.

My only complaint about this collection is about the commentary: the descriptions of the pictures were well-written and appreciated, but the detailed analyses of the machinery and equipment were distracting and unnecessary – much of the commentary was taken up (for example) with the production history of the vehicle, the number produced, the theaters were they were used, and how they differed from other versions of the same vehicle – unwieldly and repetitive.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Pen & Sword, Greenhill Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

This is a real photographic memory and story to go with it. The pictures arent staged nor are they sparing of sadness for both sides. The amazing part of this book for me was seeing the Russian prisoners fighting against the Russians in some photos. The destruction in these photos made me realize how foolish war is and the cost of it is unimaginable . Excellent look at the Eastern Front focusing on the early war years.

A interesting photographic look at the war on the eastern front during WW2. The pictures both professional and amateur provide an interesting look at both the equipment and personal sides of the war. The photos are clear, and provide little known glimpses into the war. The author does an excellent job of providing a good narrative to explain each section of the book to give a great background for the photos.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #Danielle Steel, and #Random house for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read many books about the Eastern Front, but I can honestly say that this ranks among the best in the genre. The authors have brought together and professionally collated, many previously unpublished rare coloured photographs of the long & bitter campaign in Russia.
The quality of the photographs is quite outstanding, especially when one considers the dreadful climatic conditions that the photographers, cameras, and films had to endure. Each photo has been carefully researched, with the authors identifying the equipment and, where possible, the approximate location where it was taken.
The photographs reconfirm the vast range of disparate vehicles the Germans had at their disposal. It must have been a logistical nightmare to source the spare parts - particularly as most of the available vehicles were totally unsuitable for the conditions experienced on the Eastern Front. Having personally experienced life in the Steppes, I can confirm that the Winters are truly dreadful. However, the Summers can be even worse! Clouds of penetrating dust, flies, midges, and insufferable heat! I cannot imagine how awful it must have been to fight and live in these conditions against a vast unstoppable enemy.
There are many more thousands of unpublished photographs in the author's archives, I cannot wait for the other photographs to be published in the future!

Interesting book with rare coloured pictures from the Eastern Front during the Second World War. Although mainly focussed on the pictures, the book also provides some background on the role of photography during WW2 and the war on the Eastern Front. Just know that most of these pictures are propaganda material for the German Reich, and therefore mainly show smiling soldiers and there daily life during the war.

The Second World War is the best documented war in history. War correspondents, press photographers, propagandists, soldiers and civilians carrying their cameras all sought the opportunity to capture the tumultuous events of 1939-45.

In this book we can see a selection of color photos taken by German soldiers on the Eastern Front. Within this, we can get acquainted mainly with the various combat equipment, trucks, tanks and airplanes. It paints a bit of an idyllic picture, a bit like a series of snapshots of an exciting adventure. The horrors of the war do not appear, the many crimes committed by the German soldiers, we do not see pictures of the fighting, the executions, the concentration camps, the bombed cities. These images are interesting, presenting an almost idyllic image in which German soldiers appear in a positive role. Meanwhile, we know that was not the reality.

Anthony Tucker-Jones and Ian Spring’s gorgeous book is a meticulously researched and arresting visual history of life on the Eastern Front of World War II, featuring an archive of colour photographs which provide an unprecedented insight into everyday wartime life.
The book begins with biographical detail of the various official (and unofficial) German and Russian photographers who took the photos at the time. Most of the photographs were taken using film made by the then up and coming manufacturer Agfa, which became widely popular both during and after the war. The shots have an honest, imperfect charm due to the limitations of the film.
Ian Spring’s stunning collection of over 30,000 colour photographs taken by Germans on the Eastern Front forms the backbone of this excellent book. The photos have a moving realism to them as they are naturally-posed records of the soldiers’ war experiences. Many of them are lighthearted with German soldiers posing and smiling for the camera, while others are incredibly poignant. There are even some shots of Hitler himself visiting the battlefield to the delight of the troops. Be warned that, as the book’s title suggests, there are scenes of death, both human and animal.
The book is split into three parts, exploring the conflict on the ground, in the air and behind the lines. Anthony Tucker-Jones’ captions are full and detailed with a huge amount of technical information about armoured vehicles, fighter planes and weapons to satisfy the enthusiast.
This is a beautifully produced book which is highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of WWII at a human level.