Germans at Arras

Introduction

During the Great War a German publisher produced a number of photographic books that are of considerable interest to the modern-day reader. These were based on the photographs taken by the German regiments that found themselves stationed there during the War.

The First Book

This covers the Battle of Arras in 1917, one of the largest in the War. In addition to the introduction giving the historical context there are 350 photographs of the villages and towns, trenches, troop movements, cemeteries and dealing with civilians. These photos vividly convey what the areas of Lens, Arras, Bullecourt, Havrincourt, Cambrai, Douai were like under German occupation.

Significance

This book is not just a memory-rich diary for the thousands of soldiers who fought there but also a valuable record of the period.