Rare Photos From World War II

Ashley Reign
Updated March 10, 2021 2.2M views 10 items
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Even decades after its end, WWII still strikes a chord in the hearts of people from all corners of the globe. For some, it was a time of epic heroism and a fight for morality and freedom. For others, it was a time when the darkest imaginations of the human soul came to life. Here, we’ve gathered a collection of rare World War 2 pictures that show both the depths of human evil and the fierce goodness we can aspire to. More than anything, these pictures from the Second World War prove that greatness can be achieved when good men and women vow to fight against monstrosities.

In a world that sometimes seems overrun by chaos, here you’ll find evidence that there is always hope, as long as those who stand for good continue to fight against the forces of evil. Though many are still stunned by the darkness that was revealed during the conflict, these WWII pictures will show you why it’s so important to remember history: It’s the only way to guarantee that some aspects of it are never repeated again.

  • 1
    8,350 VOTES

    An Abandoned Boy Sitting Amid The Ruins Of His London Home

    An Abandoned Boy Sitting Amid The Ruins Of His London Home
    Photo: Toni Frissell / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    An abandoned boy sits clutching a stuffed animal amid the ruins that used to be his London home. This image was captured by Toni Frissell after a German air raid in 1945.

    8,350 votes
  • 2
    9,087 VOTES

    A POW Stares Defiantly At Hitler's Right-Hand Man

    A POW Stares Defiantly At Hitler's Right-Hand Man
    Photo: National Archives at College Park / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    This photo was taken in August 1941 when Hitler's right-hand man, Heinrich Himmler, visited a Shirokaya Street POW camp in Minsk, USSR.

    9,087 votes
  • 3
    6,943 VOTES

    The Architect Of Auschwitz Right Before He Met His End

    The Architect Of Auschwitz Right Before He Met His End
    Photo: Stanisław Dąbrowiecki, a press photographer / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Rudolf Hoess was the architect and commander of Auschwitz concentration camp, where thousands lost their lives. 

    6,943 votes
  • 4
    7,451 VOTES

    Two Soldiers With 'Easter Eggs'

    Two Soldiers With 'Easter Eggs'
    Photo: US Army photographer / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Technical Sergeant William E. Thomas and Private First Class Joseph Jackson had an extra special Easter egg for Hitler in 1945.

    7,451 votes
  • 5
    3,316 VOTES

    German Soldiers Looting Fallen American GIs

    German Soldiers Looting Fallen American GIs
    Photo: Frank/U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikipedia / Public Domain

    This photo was taken during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, and depicts German soldiers stripping boots and other supplies off of fallen US soldiers.

    3,316 votes
  • 6
    2,725 VOTES

    The Sky Over The United Kingdom After A 1940 Battle

    The Sky Over The United Kingdom After A 1940 Battle
    Photo: Puttnam (Mr), War Office official photographer / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    This photo was taken in the United Kingdom in 1940 and shows the city skies after an air fight between British and German pilots.

    2,725 votes
  • 7
    3,208 VOTES

    The Soviet Flag Being Raised Over Berlin

    The Soviet Flag Being Raised Over Berlin
    Photo: Yevgeny Khaldei/Mil.ru / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY 4.0

    On May 2, 1945, Soviet soldiers raised their flag over the Reichstag in Berlin. The victory was an important one for many Soviet soldiers, who considered the building a symbol of their enemy. 

    3,208 votes
  • 8
    3,563 VOTES

    Aleksandra Samusenko, A Female Tank Commander

    Aleksandra Samusenko, A Female Tank Commander
    Photo: Anatoly Morozov / Wikipedia / Fair Use

    Aleksandra Samusenko was one of the only female tank officers of the Soviet Armed Forces and served as a tank commander from 1943-1944.

    Samusenko rose to fame both for her heroic performance during the Battle of Kursk and for leading her forces out of an ambush when her commander fell during a later battle.

    3,563 votes
  • 9
    2,710 VOTES

    Athens Captured By The Germans

    Athens Captured By The Germans
    Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-164-0389-23A/Theodor Scheerer / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE

    When the Germans captured Athens in the early 1940s, they decided to celebrate by flying their flag above the Acropolis. The banner didn't last long, however. It was torn down by two 19-year-old students a month later.

    This was one of the first acts of what would become known as the Greek Resistance.

    2,710 votes
  • 10
    2,700 VOTES

    The Eiffel Tower During German Occupation, 1940

    The Eiffel Tower During German Occupation, 1940
    Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H28708 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE

    During the German occupation of France in 1940, Hitler originally called for the removal of the Eiffel Tower. Luckily, his orders were never carried out.

    Later, French resistance fighters cut the cables to the tower's elevators so that any Germans who wished to see the view from the top would be forced to climb the stairs. 

    2,700 votes