Rare color photos of the German offensive on Stalingrad

Hans Eckle, a Chief Corporal  of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division, took a large number of color photographs during the attack on Stalingrad and in the city itself. He was seriously wounded during the fighting in the encirclement and at the end of November 1942 was evacuated from the boiler.

In the first photo below German soldiers in a shelter near the school building number 3 in the factory district of Stalingrad. Probably, in the frame there are soldiers of the 578th infantry (from 15.10.1942 grenadier) regiment, in which the author of the photograph served. In the foreground is an 81 mm mortar (8 cm Granatwerfer 34).

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

View from the position of German soldiers on the explosions on the eastern bank of the Volga. The place of shooting is the village of Kuporosny.

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

View of the destroyed Stalingrad in September 1942. In the background is the elevator building held by the Red Army in the city center.

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

View of the destroyed houses in the German-occupied area of Stalingrad.

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

German self-propelled gun StuG III at the ruins of the Stalingrad Tractor Plant.

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

Soldiers of the 9th company under the command of Lieutenant Klaus Vogt of the 578th infantry regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht infantry division near the ruins of the Stalingrad Tractor Plant.

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

The ruins of the southern outskirts of Stalingrad in October 1942.

Read: German soldiers about the Soviet. 1941 through the eyes of the Germans

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle

Photo of the soldier of the 578th Infantry Regiment of the 305th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Hans Eckle