The Snapshots in Time Collection

Civilian Laborers Clearing Rubble Beside U.S. Army Traffic Sign, Bomb-Damaged German City, WWII

Civilian Laborers Clearing Rubble Beside U.S. Army Traffic Sign, Bomb-Damaged German City, WWII

This photograph shows German civilians organized to clear rubble from a bombed city street, standing beside a U.S. Army sign setting traffic speed limits for command cars, motorcycles, and ambulances. Scenes like this were common in the aftermath of the fighting, as American occupation forces, including elements of the 101st Airborne Division, restored order and mobilized local labor to begin clearing the extensive damage left by the war. Project: 218245