The Wagner Brothers' Archive. Unknown photo diary of a German medical officer 1939–41

The Wagner Brothers' Archive. Unknown photo diary of a German medical officer 1939–41

I came across this archive on a German online flea market site. There were several interesting photos in terms of both content and composition. However, the description didn’t include any information about the archive itself. After looking through the seller’s profile, I found about 70 more negatives of similar subjects, film format, and image quality. Based on their similarities, it seemed likely that all the photos were taken by the same photographer.

Sixty-eight black-and-white, 6x6 negatives from the German company Perutz were taken with a square-format camera, presumably a Rolleiflex, and stored in an Agfa cardboard envelope from the Schaller photo studio, which was located in Stuttgart at the time. Along with the envelope was a torn piece of the original cardboard box that held the Perutz film. The photographer had written "Bel., Ukraine" in German on the piece of cardboard—referring to Belarus and Ukraine. The negatives were in good condition and only required light dry cleaning. After scanning and examining the photographs, it was possible to reconstruct the photographer’s route and identify most of the locations where the photographs were taken. It was a tremendous stroke of luck that the seller had preserved some details of the photographer’s biography, including his name.

The Wagner brothers (Emil and Paul) served in a medical unit of the Wehrmacht. Based on all the evidence, this archive is most likely associated with Guderian’s 2nd Panzer Group's medical service, specifically with units of the XXIV Motorized Corps. The photographer was presumably Emil Wagner.

The archive begins with photographs taken by the photographer in occupied Warsaw. The brothers were presumably based in a school building that the Germans had converted into a military hospital. This hospital was located next to the Church of the Holy Trinity. One photograph shows the facade of the Mikołaj Rey School, bearing a Polish sign that reads, "Gimnazjum i Liceum im. M. Reja.” Above the building's entrance hangs a German sign that reads “Ortslazarett II.” Like many German soldiers in Warsaw at the time, the Wagner brothers spent a lot of time walking around and photographing the ruins and the occupied city. They also visited the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto, where the photographer took several general shots. However, most of the unique images in this archive were taken specifically during the German army’s invasion of the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941.

The Wagner brothers advance into Soviet territory from Belarus as part of Army Group Center. Ambulances bearing red crosses and the letter "G" on their sides appeared on the roads, identifying the army convoy and its units as part of Guderian’s group. First, the photographs take us to the Orsha area, one of the key hubs during the first weeks of the German Eastern Campaign. There, the medical service operates alongside motorized columns, integrating medical aid into the overall pace of the offensive. The photographs reveal destroyed cities, burning houses, and solitary stoves—silent reminders of the once-peaceful life.

The photographer takes many portraits, not only of German soldiers and officers during marches and in field camps, but also of local residents in occupied villages. Judging by the way the photographer composes his shots and the subjects he chooses, it’s safe to assume that, even if he wasn’t a professional photographer, he was a very skilled amateur. The photographs' composition and exposure are well-executed, particularly evident in the portraits.

A few photographs from this archive document the traces of the Wehrmacht’s crimes, which are worth mentioning. In one photograph, the scene is merely soldiers confiscating a cow in a field. In the second, however, it is the scene of a murder and the remains of a second lieutenant in the Red Army infantry. The slain Soviet soldier lies face up in a coniferous forest, his arms spread out behind him. He is wearing a Soviet uniform with a belt, and his epaulets have barely visible insignia. His feet are bare, with only dirty foot wrappings visible. Only his lower jaw with gaping teeth remains of his head.

Next, the Wagner brothers’ medical unit and Guderian’s army move toward Smolensk. As they advance and occupy new territories, more and more refugees appear on the roads, trying to flee the war with their meager belongings in hand. German troops rapidly occupy Smolensk. In photographs, the city and its surroundings appear as a place where the full scale of the war is finally revealed. The Wehrmacht's war machine advanced at tremendous speed, and the Wagner brothers, as part of it, constantly received a large number of wounded and dead soldiers.