Original WWII Silver Gelatin Photograph – Paris, August 26, 1944

In this extraordinary and emotionally charged photograph, recently rounded-up German soldiers are seen under guard by French Forces of the Interior, known as the Forces Françaises de l’Intérieur (FFI)  just days after the liberation of Paris. Captured on August 26, 1944—the day after General de Gaulle’s triumphant parade down the Champs-Élysées—this moment represents a raw and powerful aftermath of occupation.

The photo depicts a small group of German captives, their expressions tense, surrounded by French resistance fighters still armed and alert. Every face tells a story—of resistance, defeat, and the turbulent reckoning that followed four brutal years of Nazi control.

This is not merely a wartime image. It is a testament to the human cost of tyranny and the powerful surge of justice that followed liberation. The photograph is a rare, authentic Type 1 press image from the time—an original print, not a reproduction—offering collectors and historians an unfiltered glimpse into one of the most pivotal episodes of World War II.