Black Troops Postwar Germany (1 results)
More imagesSeller: Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, U.S.A.Max Rambod Inc
Contact seller5-star sellerPhotographic album compiled by an African American soldier of the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in the mid 1950s documents U.S. Army service in West Germany during the early years of military integration following Executive Order 9981. The images identify a Black serviceman within Company H of the 18th Infantry…Regiment and record daily life, training, and social interaction within U.S. Army Europe during the Cold War occupation period. The album supports research into African American military history, postwar occupation, and the implementation of desegregation policies in overseas deployments. Oblong folio photograph album containing 102 vernacular black and white silver gelatin photographs, primarily measuring approximately 3.5 x 5 inches, some with deckled edges, mounted recto and verso on black paper. Several photographs bear the stamp "Foto Proplesch, Aschaffenburg" on the verso. Multiple images show the compiler wearing the shoulder insignia of the 1st Infantry Division, with additional photographs taken outside a building marked "H Co. / 18th INF," confirming unit identification. Scenes include soldiers equipped with M1 steel helmets and M1 Garand rifles, with one image showing a mounted M1919 Browning .30 caliber machine gun during a training exercise. Additional photographs depict military vehicles including jeeps and supply trucks marked with U.S. Army insignia in winter conditions, as well as communications activity with a field radio and organized drills involving officers and enlisted men. Numerous images document informal settings, including barracks interiors, tent encampments, cafes, and social gatherings with German civilians. A small group of photographs appears to depict family life in the United States, including women and children in domestic environments. The album was created during a period when U.S. Army units stationed in Europe were among the first to operate under integrated conditions, following the gradual implementation of desegregation policies in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Aschaffenburg, located in the American occupation zone, served as a key base for U.S. forces, and the images document both military structure and interpersonal relationships within this environment. The presence of interracial groups in both formal and informal contexts provides visual evidence of changing social dynamics within the armed forces, contrasted with ongoing segregation in the United States. Light wear to album and photographs with images clear and well preserved; overall very good condition. This album provides a sustained visual record of African American military service and integration during the early Cold War period.
