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20+ Rare, Goofy Photos Of Having Fun With Fake Military Props

Christopher B. Steiner, a professor at Connecticut College, assembled a fascinating collection of military portraits that reveal a different side of soldiers from the World Wars. These snapshots capture moments of levity, as soldiers strike goofy poses with fake military props.

Some images capture lighthearted silliness, while others reveal a blend of humor and seriousness. Far from the harsh realities of war, these portraits offer a glimpse into moments of camaraderie and the human spirit, as soldiers briefly escape the turmoil to share a smile.

Soldiers during the world War

“Reserved Flight Home from Bitsch.” Straßburg, Austria, Photo by J. Jungmann, 1912

Christopher B. Steiner’s collection includes portraits of soldiers from Germany, France, the United States, Belgium, and more, spanning from the beginning of World War I to the end of World War II.

In these photos, soldiers posed with everything from faux airplanes to tanks and vintage cars—props provided by photo studios to create memorable keepsakes. Originally, these portraits were souvenirs for servicemen to send to loved ones back home, capturing both their courage and a rare glimpse of playfulness against the backdrop of war.

“Flight from Döberitz” Berlin, Germany, Photo by Paul Höfer, 1914

World War I remains one of the deadliest conflicts in history, with a staggering toll on both military and civilian populations. By war’s end, around 40 million people had either lost their lives or suffered injuries. Estimates put the death toll between 15 and 22 million, with roughly 23 million soldiers left wounded.

Civilians bore a heavy burden, too, with deaths ranging from 6 to 13 million. Among military losses, the Allies (Triple Entente) saw about 6 million lives lost, while the Central Powers suffered around 4 million casualties. The sheer scale of these numbers underscores the devastation left in the wake of this global conflict.

“With thunder, hail and lightning God created Desert Döberitz”; “Flight from Desert Döberitz.” Döberitz Military Training Camp (aka “Desert Döberitz”)

In World War I, diseases claimed an enormous toll, with at least 2 million soldiers dying from various illnesses, while around 6 million went missing, likely dead. Despite advancements in medical care, diseases like the deadly 1918 flu pandemic and harsh conditions in prisoner-of-war camps continued to be a significant threat, accounting for about one-third of the total military casualties.

Yet, World War I also marked a shift; approximately two-thirds of military deaths were directly from combat, which was a change from earlier wars where most fatalities were due to disease rather than battle injuries.

List of Goofy Photos

Military training ground, Neuhammer am Queis, Germany, 1914
Truppenübungsplatz (military training ground), Elsenborn, Germany, 1915, Photo by Alexander Herld
“Flight from Bitsch at 636 meters altitude.” Soldiers with mascot on a painted studio prop of the Viktoria Luise Zeppelin, Bezirk Lothringen, German Lorraine, 1915

“Hooray. [This] unit has 22 days left.” Unidentified location, Germany. 1915
“Flight from the sand desert [i.e., military camp] Neuhammer.” Nuehammer Military Camp, Germany

“The trip to Hannover is here.” Dörnitz Military Camp (Altengrabow), Germany, 1930s, Photo by Max Schütze
Lockstedter Military Camp, near Hülsings, Germany, 1914
German soldiers on faux Easter egg prop. Unidentified location, Germany, 1930s
Figure 25 Munster Military Camp, Germany
“Escape from sand desert [military camp] Neuhammer.” Neuhammer, Germany. Photographer – Paul Riediger, 1913
“Escape from Munster.” Munster Military Camp, Germany, 1916
“Happy New Year 1918.” Unidentified German studio. 1918
“Flight from Jüterbog.” Teltow-Fläming district, Germany, 1925-1930, Photo by Ernst Löhn.
“Those who remained faithful to their mother can be seen flying from here.” Munster, Germany, 1928
“Flight from Altengrabow.” Dörnitz Military Camp (Altengrabow), Germany, 1930s, Photo by Max Schütze
“If this thing bursts we are done for.” Munich, Germany, 1933
Nazi officers in photomontage single-propeller plane
Coney Island Amusement Park, New York, 1930s
French military aviators in painted biplane studio prop, with Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro Palace in background, 1928
Camp de Bitche, Département de la Moselle, France, 1925
“Sightseeing Flight – Faßberg Air Base – Munster – Hamburg, 1938.”

Written by Phyllis Brown

Phyllis Brown, the historian behind The History Insider, started the site to share interesting and accurate history stories. Passionate about making history easy to understand, Phyllis brings the past to life, helping readers connect with stories that still matter today.

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