64 Rare Photographs Absent From History Textbooks

Historic photographs serve as invaluable records of our shared history.

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• March 29, 2024

Have you ever considered the vast array of events that have shaped our world throughout history? While you may have experienced some significant moments firsthand, there's a plethora of occurrences beyond our individual experiences.

Think about this: some pivotal moments happen in the blink of an eye, but thanks to the power of photography, these moments are preserved for posterity. These images offer a window into the past, capturing both monumental events and everyday life with equal importance.

From major historical milestones to the mundane moments of daily existence, each photograph provides a snapshot of a particular time and place. They document not only what happened but also the emotions, struggles, and triumphs of the people involved.

What's striking about these photographs is their ability to evoke empathy and understanding. They allow us to connect with the past on a human level, bridging the gap between then and now.

In essence, historic photographs serve as invaluable records of our shared history, offering insights into the lives of those who came before us. As we explore these images, we gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities of the past and the enduring impact it has on the present

Explore these captivating images and delve into a slice of history previously unseen.

1. "Painting the Eiffel Tower, 1932."

2. "The USS Galena in 1862 showing battle damage."

3. "Nazi soldiers react as they are forced to watch footage from concentration camps."

4. "A Frenchman cries during the Nazi occupation in 1940."

5. "Joseph Stalin’s record from the Tsarist Secret Police in 1911."

6. "German Einsatzgruppen (death squads) execute Ukrainians Jews in 1942."

7. "An Austrian boy getting a new pair of shoes during World War II."

8. "Stalin’s son Yakov Dzhugashvili was captured by the Germans in 1941. He was later killed in a prison camp. "

9. "The unbroken seal on Tutankhamun’s tomb, 1922 (after being untouched for 3,245 years)."

10. "Joseph Stalin (right) and his body double Felix Dadaev (left). "

11. "Applause and salutes for Hitler after Germany successfully annexed Austria in 1938."

12. soldiers mock Hitler from the balcony of the Reich Chancellery in 1945."

13. "The iceberg that sunk the Titanic in 1912."

14. "1944 renderings by the U.S. government of possible disguises Hitler might attempt. "

15. "57,000 German prisoners marched to Moscow in 1944 after their defeat in Belarus. "

16. "A German soldier balancing on a trained horse in 1935."

17. frozen Soviet fighter propped up by Finnish soldiers to serve as psychological warfare against the invading Soviets."

18. " The testing of a bulletproof vest in 1923."

19. "The poignant face of a soldier in Vietnam, 1965."

20. "Nazi soldiers getting ready for an assault in Stalingrad in 1942."

21. " Women were not allowed to run the Boston Marathon in 1967. Kathrine Switzer dodged that rule and became the first woman to finish despite organizers trying to stop her."

22. "Einstein on the beach."

23. "Mass of melted nuclear fuel in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. "

24. "The Punt Gun, which was able to shoot over a pound of ammunition in a single shot and deplete stocks of waterfowl. It was banned in 1860. "

25. "Fidel Castro smoking a cigar and wearing two Rolex watches during a meeting at the Kremlin, 1963. "

26. "Using a flamethrower to light a cigarette. The German army employed flamethrowers on the Eastern Front during the war."

27. "Hitler’s bodyguards in Berlin, 1938."

28. "Nazi SS troops lounging outside of the Olympic Games in Berlin, 1936."

29. "16. " A utility worker giving mouth-to-mouth to a coworker after he contacted a high-voltage wire in 1967. ""

30. "The first bananas arrived in Norway in 1905."

31. "Simone Segouin, an 18-year-old French Résistance fighter during the war. "

32. "NASA scientists in 1961. "

33. "Joseph Goebbels and a young German recruit in 1945."

34. "Not a hatless head in this crowd of New Yorkers in 1939."

35. " Female IRA fighter showing off her assault rifle in the 1970s."

36. "German soldiers marching on Stalingrad, 1942."

37. "A Jewish woman in Austria sitting on a bench marked “Only for Jews.”"

38. " The last known photo of the Titanic."

39. "Seventeen-year-old assassin using a traditional Japanese blade to kill socialist politician Asanuma in Tokyo, 1960."

40. "German children playing with stacks of money during the hyperinflation period of the Weimar Republic, 1922."

41. ruins of Dresden after WWII. "

42. "The remains of Soviet astronaut Vladimir Komarov after his space capsule crashed on reentry."

43. "A man refusing to join the Nazi salute in 1936."

44. "A Catholic woman and her protestant husband were laid to rest in Holland, in 1888."

45. "The crowded and happy ship bringing back troops to New York Harbor after V-Day in 1945."

46. "Adolf Hitler spotted in a crowd cheering on the start of World War I in 1914."

47. "Margret Thatcher with British troops after the surrender of Argentina in the Falklands War."

48. "German prisoners packed into a prison camp."

49. "German POW being escorted after the Soviet victory in Stalingrad."

50. singing to encourage people to follow their boycott of Jewish shops in 1933."

51. "Young German communist being executed in 1919."

52. "A 106-year-old Armenian woman guards her home in 1990."

53. "Color photo of Simone Segouin."

54. "An off-the-cuff picture of Stalin. "

55. to be executed by the Finns, this Russian spy laughed. "

56. " Children showing the blatant class divide of pre-war Britain in 1937."

57. "Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces during the battle of Shanghai, 1937."

58. "A German soldier sharing some of his food with a local Russian mother."

59. "A grotto in an iceberg as seen during the British Antarctic Expedition, January 5, 1911."

60. "Ducklings being used in medical therapy, 1956."

61. "Portrait of hockey goalie Terry Sawchuk before face masks became standard in 1966. "

62. "Nikola Tesla sitting in the laboratory with his magnifying transmitter."

63. switched to driving on the right side of the road in 1967. This was the result on the first morning."

64. " General Ambrose Burnside, the Civil War commander whose unusual facial hairstyle gave sideburns their name."

Old photos are like time machines that show us what life was like in the past. They capture big events and everyday moments, helping us understand how things have changed over time.

Looking at these pictures helps us appreciate history and think about what it means for us today. So, let's keep exploring these snapshots from the past and learning from them.

Damjan