Well, from Bemidji, Minnesota, actually - but let's not argue over accuracy.  Yesterday witnessed the passing of actress Jane Russel, aged 89.  This 'photo - a publicity still from the 1941 movie, &quot;The Outlaw&quot; made her a major pinup favourite with the US forces (and I daresay all other Forces, when they could get their hands on copies) in the latter part of WW2.  The funny thing is that the movie itself was not released until 1946 owing to reservations on the part of Hollywood censors but, by then, this and other 'photos - and work in the media such as radio (on which Bob Hope once famously introduced her as &quot;the two and only Jane Russell&quot;) - had made her famous.  Apart from her obvious talents, she seems to have been an intelligent and humane lady, and a much better actress than she is often given credit for.  As a person who did so much to raise the ... spirits of the fighting men of WW2, I think she deserves a place In Here.  I think I'll dig out my &quot;Gentlemen Prefer Blondes&quot; DVD for this evening ... Rest in Peace, dear lady.  Best regards, JR.

Jane Russell

Original Caption:
Junger Soldat, Westerwald 1945 [Young Soldier, Westerwald 1945]

This picture was taken by August Sander, easily one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. Born in 1876, he spent the years from 1901 until his death in 1964 photographing primarily ordinary people and countrysides. 
His style typically consisted out of showing ordinary people - farmers, workers, low-level officials, etc - posed in their natural environment and looking straight at the camera.
During the Nazi-Era, Sander's work became more and more restricted, mainly because his work showed common, often worn out and simple folk - not the strong blond Ubermensch German the Nazis tried to propagate as a standard. 
Furthermore, his son, a member of the German Socialist Worker's Party was arrested in 1934 and convicted to 10 years of jail. Sander's book 'Face of the Time' was confiscated and all printing blocks destroyed. By fleeing Cologne in 1942, Sander was able to save most of his negatives from certain destruction.

After the war, Sander spent most of his time photographing the destroyed Germany, primarily Cologne. His archive contains over 40,000 images from the period between 1902-1964.

MfG Schuultz

Young Soldier 1945

British propaganda poster, in which the Ministry of Information appeals to Britain's Christian faith - sword and cross - in the cause of the war effort.  This sort of appeal might still have some effect in parts of the USA; hard to imagine such an appeal being promulgated in today's UK.  Best regards, JR.