Happy Easter, “Adolph”!

by Joey deVilla on January 3, 2010

The two gents in the photo below, identified as “T/5 William E. Thomas and Pfc. Joseph Jackson” may not have spelled Hitler’s first name correctly (it’s Adolf), but that doesn’t mar the beauty of this photo:

Old black-and-white photo featuring two black WWII soldiers smiling as they display mortar shells with "Happy Easter Adolph" painted on them and a box labelled "Easter eggs for Hitler"

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Justin Kozuch January 3, 2010 at 12:33 pm

Love this photo.

Joey, if you’re into wartime photography, I have a coffee table book titled “The War” by Ken Burns. I’d be happy to lend it to you.

Also, if I remember correctly, one of Hitler’s Division’s was named the Adolph Hitler Division. I could be wrong about the spelling though. ;)

2 Harley January 3, 2010 at 12:52 pm

Actually it’s the older English way of spelling his name. Adolf is the German way of spelling it.

At least, as far as I know.

3 Tom Opgenorth January 4, 2010 at 12:48 am

@Justin, you do remember correctly: Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler which by
war’s end was 1 SS Panzer Division Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler.

4 AuntyA January 7, 2010 at 12:13 am

I don’t know if you had the entire citation for this photo but it is quite funny – thanks for posting this!

#21
“Easter morning, T/5 William E. Thomas . . . and Pfc. Joseph Jackson . .
. will roll specially prepared eggs on Hitler’s lawn.” March 10, 1945.
1st Lt. John D. Moore. 111-SC-202330.

http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/academic/history/marshall/national_archives/WW2-AAPX.TXT

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