This photograph is in celebration of Easter, known in German as Ostern', is a tradition that has been cemented in Germany's heritage since such dates as far back as the 1500's with mentions of the 'Osterhase' or Easter Hare, later to be refined as the Easter Bunny. Ostern is very much a celebration and tradition by both Christians and Catholics to which is still celebrated today.
As shared today on Osternsonntag (Easter Sunday) we here at KB41 Collection would like to wish you all a "Fröhliche Ostern", a Happy Easter wherever you are in the world reading this, best and happy wishes from all of us here at the collection and thank you for your continued support!
The Reichsheer Soldaten are a part of the Deutsche Reichswehr who were the German armed forces after ww1, founded in 1919 by the Weimar Republic it consisted of the Reichsmarine (Navy) and as seen here the Reichsheer (Army). This was due to the limitation of the armed forces German was allowed to control as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. The Reichswehr would continue to be established even after the collapse of the Weimar Republic in 1933 when the NSDAP came to power, the Reichswehr would be dissolved and reformed under the Wehrmacht in 1935.
The photograph here shows a Studio Portait of the Reichsheer, Grenadier Regiment 16, of the Deutsche Reichswehr, posing for a photograph in a studio with a festive Ostern cut-out in Bremen, 1931. This type of studio portrait was common with cut-outs of many different comedic and festive events. Seen here is a cut out with the words Fröhliche Ostern 1931", the one at the end is slightly cut off but the reverse of the photograph confirms it is 1931. The Hand painted cut-out in which these Grenadiers are seen posing within details that of a large cracked "Osterei" (Easter egg) in which they are bursting from without. This is detailed further with cracking to the egg and detailed with three leaf clovers and other nature of grasses and wildflowers. This setting the scene of nature with a deer looking up at the Grenadiers, seen just to the right of the deer is Easter eggs, these are guarded by a Osterhase (Easter Hare) seen holding a rifle, likely to be a Gewerhr 98 and wearing a pickelhaube helmet. Another Osterhase can be seen without any military equipment amongst the Osterei.
The Grenadiers seen here are named from the reverse, it us not known who's names belongs to who but it could be assumed from left to right at back then left to right at front. The names read as; Walter, Gansmann (Seen with a cigarette in his mouth), Grupengießer and Weyel, the last name has been crossed out, possibly as the name was not remembered. The names mentioned being the surnames of the Grenadiers photographed. The 16th Regiment Grenadiers (as seen by the white number 16 on their Feldgrau shoulder boards) are seen here wearing Reichswehr Waffenrocke's, this pattern of tunic is sometimes referred to as a M28. This pattern of tunic can be seen with many similarities to the later adopted M35/M36 tunic patterns. All seen here are of the entry level rank of Grenadier except for one who is a Temporary NCO, this is denoted by the single stripe of treße that is seen worn on the lower sleeve. There is also the addition of the a silver moire Litzen on his M28 in comparison to his contemporaries. All are seen wearing field caps, may shaped in different ways but all are seen with cockades. These cockades would be coloured as Red and White. This was the colour of Hanseatic states such as Bremen seen photographed here as well as Lübeck, and Hamburg.
This is a incredibly crisp and detailed photograph showing Grenadiers of the Reichsheer having fun and enjoying a comedic photograph at Ostern together. The period in which this was taken was associated with uncertainty, with not only the Great Depression and Treaty of Versailles having economic affects on the country but the ever-growing political uncertainty of the rising political factions and the strain it was having on the instability of the Weimar Republic. These Reichseer Grenadiers would see the Weimar Republic dissolve in 1933 and the NSDAP come to power, seen just two years after this Ostern photograph was taken. The Grenadiers would also go on to serve in Reichswehr until its disbanding in 1935 and its reformation into the Wehrmacht. This is a small insight into the detail of hand painted sets and cut outs used by photographers to enhance and apply detail to studio portraits. This would have likely been issued to all of the Grenadiers seen photographed as a time to remember their Reichsheer service, that they could later reflect on in the Wehrmacht and be proud of their military service.