Photographs of Forcibly Mobilised Slovenes in the German Army (1942–1944)

Curator: Monika Kokalj Kočevar


In addition to three-dimensional personal items, documents, prints, letters and other correspondences, the collection of material of the Slovenes forcibly mobilized into the German army also includes photographs of the forcibly mobilized soldiers, which were taken during the war by the soldiers themselves or obtained from their co-operatives.


The basis of the photographic part of the collection are the photographs from the original albums of the Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP in Upper Carniola between 1942 and 1944; the museum acquired them after the war.
The second part of the collection includes photographs donated by individuals, or originals brought from the field by museum workers, scanned and returned to the owners. The majority of them are portraits of soldiers and group photographs of units across Europe. Images of military training and life in the hinterlands are predominant; there are fewer photographs from campaigns or fronts. The second set contains over 1,000 photographs.

Unknown author, Upper Carniolans in the State Labour Service, Arbeitsgau XXXV Wien Niederdonau, 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 2, Aus der Gliderungen 1942-1943. Black-and-white photograph, 12.5 x 14 cm.
Unknown author, Upper Carniolans in the State Labour Service, Arbeitsgau XXXV Wien Niederdonau, 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 2, Aus der Gliderungen 1942-1943. Black-and-white photograph, 12.5 x 14 cm.
Unknown author, Conscription of Upper Carniolans into the German army, 29 March 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 2, Aus der Gliderungen 1942–1943. Black-and-white photograph, 9 × 14 cm.
Unknown author, Conscription of Upper Carniolans into the German army, 29 March 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 2, Aus der Gliderungen 1942–1943. Black-and-white photograph, 9 × 14 cm.
Unknown author, Conscription of Upper Carniolans into the German army, 29 March 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 2, Aus der Gliderungen 1942–1943. Black-and-white photograph, 9 × 14 cm.
Unknown author, Conscription of Upper Carniolans into the German army, 29 March 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 2, Aus der Gliderungen 1942–1943. Black-and-white photograph, 9 × 14 cm.
Unknown author, District leader Kuss and Oberstarbeitsführer Krainer examining the line-up of the state-run civil service from Vetrin, 10 April 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 4, Aus den Ortsgruppen, 1942–1944. Black-and-white photograph, 9 × 14 cm.
Unknown author, District leader Kuss and Oberstarbeitsführer Krainer examining the line-up of the state-run civil service from Vetrin, 10 April 1943. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 4, Aus den Ortsgruppen, 1942–1944. Black-and-white photograph, 9 × 14 cm.
Unknown author, NSDAP District Head, Dr Walther Hochsteiner, Gauleiter Dr Friedrich Rainer, Senior SS and Police Chief Erwin Rösener, Colonel Martin Kuber, leader of WBK Kranj, Kranj, 27 September 1942. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 7, Aus dem Geschehen im Kreise 1944-1945. Black-and-white photograph, 9 x 14 cm.
Unknown author, NSDAP District Head, Dr Walther Hochsteiner, Gauleiter Dr Friedrich Rainer, Senior SS and Police Chief Erwin Rösener, Colonel Martin Kuber, leader of WBK Kranj, Kranj, 27 September 1942. Bildarchiv des Kreises Krainburg der NSDAP, Band 7, Aus dem Geschehen im Kreise 1944-1945. Black-and-white photograph, 9 x 14 cm.