German Press Photo – Evacuation of Wounded Soldiers, August 1944

Original wartime German press photograph depicting the transport of wounded soldiers to field hospitals during the later stages of the fighting in France. The accompanying typed caption describes the improvisation and urgency of evacuation efforts, including the use of a civilian ferry to speed up river crossings.

Reverse caption reads:

“Alle Möglichkeiten werden erschöpft! Beim Abtransport unserer Verwundeten darf kein Aufenthalt eintreten. Eine Zivilfähre wurde zur Flussüberquerung eingesetzt. So kommen nun unsere verwundeten Kameraden auf den schnellsten Wege ins Lazarett.”
(All possibilities are exhausted! During the evacuation of our wounded, no delay is allowed. A civilian ferry was used for a river crossing, allowing our wounded comrades to reach the hospital as quickly as possible.)

• Date: 5 August 1944

• Photographer / PK Unit: Kriegsberichter Wittke (Wb)

• Caption Code: L 2736 Wb Ei

• Agency Stamp: Weltbild Presseservice, Frankfurt am Main (on reverse)

• Size: approx. 18 × 13 cm

• Condition: Excellent for age – clear caption label intact, minor handling consistent with period use.

Historical Context

Photographed during the summer of 1944, amid the retreat and heavy fighting in Normandy, this image highlights the Wehrmacht’s efforts to maintain medical evacuation routes under increasingly difficult conditions. The use of a civilian ferry for wounded transport reflects the desperate logistical improvisations made as the German front lines collapsed in France.

Collector’s Note

An evocative Weltbild press photograph illustrating the human side of the war — not combat, but care for the wounded under fire. Original photos with typed wartime captions describing frontline medical operations are increasingly rare and sought after by collectors of Wehrmacht, Normandy, and propaganda photography.