Note: In this post, I discuss the contents of a collection of photographs shared with me by one of my fourth cousins, Tom Brook. Periodically a relative or acquaintance will share with me their collection of family photos or memorabilia. On other occasions, the photo collections provide historic glimpses of well-known events or places or, alternatively, off-the-beat locations. It is worth remembering that World War II was a global conflict that took soldiers to often remote spots around the world.
As I happened to have him in my ancestral tree, though with no details, I explained we are fourth cousins. Tom allowed me to borrow the album so I could duplicate the photographs for later study.
These images provide an opportunity to discuss what was going on in the war and its immediate aftermath at the time Casper took his photographs. Margot, the only daughter, is distinguishable because she is holding a doll. Obviously, the Daguerreotype-like picture, when Werner appears to be only a year or two old, does not include his mother. The picture clearly captures the weight of her death on the family, where all look immeasurably sad.
Figure 8. Felix Bruck never remarried. Figure Figure 12 Unfortunately, I have no portraits to compare them against. Apart from casual family acquaintances, Helen and I have been able to identify most of the subjects.
A particularly endearing photo was taken in of Casper with his younger brother Peter. The individual pages in Casper photo album typically note the year s and place s the pictures were taken. El Alamein is a town located on the Mediterranean Sea 66 miles west of Alexandria, Egypt , while Benghazi and Tripoli are in Libya further west but also along the Mediterranean.
