Easter Eggs for Hitler – Happy Easter Adolph!
In the 1940s, World War II was in some of its harshest days at the front lines. Both sides had taken extreme casualties and most soldiers were far past the point of patriotic duty keeping their morale up. There was a general sense of dread because of the slow pace the invasion of Europe had adopted due to the heavy resistance from the Axis Forces. Soldiers looked toward some rather unlikely places in order to find entertainment for themselves as well as discover new way to improve their dwindling spirits.
These two soldiers in this picture taken near the front lines at this time found joy by participating in a common practice of the time, shell scribbling. Although there is no official term for this act, it is the art of drawing pictures or writing messages on explosive shells that helped to express their feelings with the current situations.
Here, these two men seem to have written a special seasonal message for their opponents. It seems they have placed the munitions in a nice basket with a sign that says, “Easter Eggs for Hitler.” There is also a shell being displayed that bears the message, “Happy Easter Adolph.” While it is reasonable to assume the picture was taken near Easter because of these messages, the exact date of the photo remains unknown.
Even though the enemy would never get the opportunity to read the shell scribbling handiwork of soldiers, I guess it’s the thought that counts. American fighters would go on to continue this method of amusement war after war.
Writer / Quiz Creator
Andrew Nicholas is a passionate reader and writer on the subjects of history and mankind. He is a published author, critic, and poet who grew up in the friendly scenery of rural Ohio. He is a graduate of Wright State University and a regular student of historical curiosities.