Stan Valancius' identification under question, revealed on May 21, 1945
In the final stages of World War II, as the Allied forces closed in on Germany, a unique form of resistance emerged among the American soldiers. Two photographs, taken thousands of miles apart, serve as a testament to this humorous act of defiance.
The first photograph, taken in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1945, captures T/4 Harold L. Hershey mocking Adolf Hitler from the orators' box in the Nazi Party Congress Stadium. The image, which was published in the New York Times on April 21, 1945, under the title "Where once the Fuehrer stood", shows Hershey mimicking Hitler's infamous salute and pose. This photograph, not part of the collection of approximately 150 photographs from the Cactus Division's unit in Innsbruck, provided a template for similar performances by other soldiers, including those of the Cactus Division in Tyrol.
The second photograph, part of this collection, depicts Private First Class Stan Valancius, a serviceman in the United States Army's 7th Infantry Division, also known as the Cactus Division. The division, which played a significant role in the Pacific Theater of World War II, was responsible for enforcing nighttime curfews, personnel checks, and other duties in Innsbruck in May. Valancius' portrait, a parody of Adolf Hitler, is a part of this collection. The back of the print is inscribed with a question: "Stan Valancius... or is it?"
The practice of mocking Hitler was widespread among GIs, with travesty being a common way to ridicule the Nazis. This included dressing up in Wehrmacht uniforms and posing with Hitler salutes or poses from films like Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator".
The collection of photographs from Stan Valancius' unit, the Intelligence & Reconnaissance Platoon of the Cactus Division, was responsible for enforcing nighttime curfews, personnel checks, and other duties in Innsbruck in May. The photographs, a unique blend of duty and defiance, offer a glimpse into the lives of these soldiers during the war.
For more detailed information about the specific contributions or stories of these soldiers, it might be useful to look up unit records, service archives, or veteran accounts related to the 7th Infantry Division during World War II. These photographs serve as a reminder of the resilience, humour, and defiance exhibited by the soldiers during one of the most challenging periods in history.
The practice of mimicking Hitler extended beyond individual soldiers, as many GIs used theater and entertainment to mock the Nazis through performances. For instance, they would dress up in Wehrmacht uniforms and enact skits or poses, often influenced by films like Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator."
These photographs, a combination of history and entertainment, are a testament to the resilience, humor, and defiance of the soldiers during World War II.
