A Book by Ian Spring, Anthony Tucker-Jones
It’s easy to look back at World War II through the lens of black-and-white photographs and archival footage and feel a certain distance from it, as though the conflict belongs more to legend than lived reality. That sense of separation disappears when confronted with color photography of the era. Suddenly, the war feels immediate, grounded, and unsettlingly real. Life and Death on the Eastern Front – Rare Colour Photographs From World War II by Ian Spring and Anthony Tucker-Jones captures that impact in striking fashion. This photo book brings together hundreds of rare, original color photographs from the war – many of them shot by Nazi war correspondents such as Otto Veidt and hidden away for nearly 80 years before finally being made public.
“This incredible visual record of life and death along the Eastern Front features more than 250 images from the the PIXPAST Archive, a collection of more than 32,000 original color photographs taken between 1936 and 1946. Collated into three parts and organized thematically”
What makes these images so powerful is their authenticity. They are not modern colorizations but photographs taken on Agfacolor, a German-made film stock available during the war, though more costly than standard black-and-white film. Originally intended for propaganda magazines in occupied territories, many of these slides were quietly set aside by the photographers themselves and only resurfaced decades later. Today, Ian Spring holds a collection of more than 32,000 such images and has worked with various historians and authors to publish volumes like this. For this book, he partnered with military historian Anthony Tucker-Jones, whose commentary and introductory essay on the history of wartime photography in Germany provide vital context.
The book is organized into distinct sections, each weaving a narrative through its photography. It begins with the German invasion of the Soviet Union, capturing the machinery of war – tanks, weapons, vehicles, and the soldiers who wielded them. From there, it shifts focus to the skies, featuring bombers, fighter planes, Luftwaffe personnel, and the destruction their missions left behind. Finally, the lens turns behind the front lines, documenting prisoners of war, resistance fighters, medical staff, construction projects, and the daily rhythms of both soldiers and civilians struggling through the brutal Russian winter. Together, the images and commentary provide a haunting, unfiltered look at one of history’s darkest chapters – one that feels far less distant when seen in living color.
The narrative of the book ends just before the Germans entered their most harrowing chapters – the brutal Russian winter of 1942 and the battle of Stalingrad. Much of what’s captured here are seemingly innocuous scenes: soldiers relaxing, tanks abandoned along roadsides, and moments of daily life at the front. Yet, the darkness creeps in gradually. Photographs of burning homes and food stores, slain partisans, and executed villagers serve as chilling reminders of the atrocities committed during World War II – all rendered in striking, vibrant color.
As for the medium itself, Agfacolor proves stunning. The richness of the film stock makes every hue leap off the page, often with an almost surreal intensity. Greens and reds, in particular, burst to life in fields, uniforms, and banners, to the point where it feels almost too vivid to be real. Considering these photographs are over 80 years old, the sharpness and brilliance of the color is nothing short of astonishing. They feel less like relics of the past and more like something that could have come from a stylish Instagram filter in 2025, blurring the distance between history and the present in a way that is both beautiful and deeply unsettling.
All things considered, this is a surprisingly quick read despite its length, thanks in large part to the amount of space devoted to photographs. The material is well-organized, and the book is packed with information on a subject many might assume to be too niche to support such depth. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for future releases tied to this remarkable photo archive, as the images themselves are stunning and provide insights often overlooked in World War II literature, which tends to focus on major battles and towering historical figures. This volume stands as another excellent entry from Pen and Sword Publishing, and one I can’t believe I waited this long to read.
For more information on this book, click HERE
For the Pixapast archive, click HERE
For more books by this publisher, click HERE
NOTE: I received a free preliminary, and likely unedited copy of this book from Netgalley for the purposes of providing an honest, unbiased review of the material. Thank you to all involved.