Kutno Poland 1939

An elderly Jewish man speaks with German officers during the roundup of Kutno’s Jewish residents in 1939.

Once its invasion of Poland was complete, Germany wasted no time in rounding up Poland’s citizens of Jewish faith—often with the willing assistance of Poland’s Gentiles, as appears to be the case in the scene captured in the photograph.

This photograph was taken by one of Hitler’s favorite photographers, given free rein—and color film, quite rare at the time—to photograph whatever he liked in newly-occupied Poland.

The photographs—more than a thousand in all—have come to light only in recent years. Only a handful has yet to be published.