From crowded train stations and farewell gatherings to the stern faces of soldiers and the quiet corners of everyday life, each image offers a powerful glimpse into a world about to be transformed. Before the trenches and headlines, there were these moments. Here are 17 photos of Germany and Britain at the outbreak of WWI.
1. Preparing boots for British soldiers on the home front, 1914
2. British officials looking oddly prepared for the oncoming war, 1914
3. British recruits, signing up to fight in the Great War, August 1914
4. British soldiers and citizens producing boots and clothing in a British factory, 1914
5. Producing and inspecting clothing for the Royal Army Clothing Department, Britain, 1914
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6. Female bricklayers in Britain after the war was declared, 1914
7. British propaganda after war was declared, 1914
8. King George V and Queen Mary of Great Britain, August 1914
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9. An Imperial German soldier standing with all of his gear, Summer 1914
10. Young farmers in Germany, unfazed by the oncoming war, Summer, 1914
11. The Daily Mail on the 5th of August, 1914
12. German kids watching two officers put up a poster announcing the mobilization of Berlin, August 1, 1914
13. A family from Stuttgart, Germany, just before the outbreak of WWI
14. A crowd in Berlin celebrating the start of the Great War, August 1914
15. A glimpse of what Germany looked like just before WWI
16. German soldiers gathering horses before the outbreak of the Great War
17. Belgium on the brink of war, Summer 1914
Want to see more vintage military content?
Check out 20 Vintage Photos Of Soldiers In The Trenches, or if you want to see colorized photos of soldiers from the 1910s, take a look at 20 Colorized Photos of Soldiers in the 1910s. Finally, if you want to see some photos and facts from the Great War, check out 20 Photos and Facts From WWI.
