Military photograph - Original press photo - 1917

The photograph was issued by the American news agency International Film Service and shows the German Emperor Wilhelm II (the Kaiser) visiting troops at the Eastern Front alongside his military staff. Below, you will find the historical background and the reasons why this specific photograph is so unique: Background and Context Location and Date: The photograph was taken in 1917 in Poland (the Eastern Front during World War I). The year 1917 is also written in pencil on the back of the photograph (your second image). The Scene: Emperor Wilhelm II stands towards the right, dressed in a long winter coat and wearing the iconic German *Pickelhaube* (spiked helmet). He is speaking with his officers and men in a snow-covered landscape during a front-line inspection. Why this photograph is historically unique As the original typewritten text on the back clearly notes, this is "One of the few pictures showing the Kaiser's short left arm." The 'paralyzed' arm: Due to a very difficult and complicated breech birth in 1859, Wilhelm II suffered nerve damage (Erb's palsy). As a result, his left arm remained permanently deformed and about 15 centimeters shorter than his right arm. Censorship and concealment: The Emperor was extremely self-conscious about this physical impairment and went to great lengths to hide it from the outside world. In almost all official state portraits and press photos, he ingeniously concealed the arm: he would keep his left hand in his coat pocket, hold a pair of gloves or a walking stick, or demonstratively rest the hand on the hilt of his sword. The rare moment: In this particular press photo, however, his shorter left arm hangs relatively exposed and unnaturally stiff against his body. Because the photo was taken at the front by an Allied or international press agency (rather than by his own imperial photographers), the image was not censored. For foreign media at the time, it was a unique opportunity to reveal the German leader's 'secret' disability to the public. Shipped well packed, registered mail and insured.

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