German Infantry Column with PzKpfw I on the Eastern Front, 1941

November 30, 2025 - Reading time: 3 minutes

German infantry on foot with a light PzKpfw I tank during the 1941 invasion of the USSR.

This photograph captures a typical scene from the early stages of the Eastern Front in 1941 — and one that sharply contrasts with popular depictions of the German invasion. Instead of endless motorcycle troops, submachine gunners, and armored columns, we see ordinary German infantry marching on foot, armed with standard rifles. Only a few men in the distant background are mounted.

A light PzKpfw I tank accompanies the column, one of the weakest armored vehicles fielded by the Wehrmacht. With only bullet-resistant armor and two 7.92 mm MG-13 machine guns, the Pz I was unsuitable for engaging enemy tanks and was used mainly for reconnaissance and infantry support against unfortified positions. When facing Soviet T-26s, BT series tanks, and especially the KV and T-34, this light tank stood almost no chance.

The photo perfectly illustrates the actual combat reality of the German advance in 1941. Despite the myth of a fully mechanized invading force, the bulk of the Wehrmacht was still a foot infantry army, structurally closer to the 19th century — only reinforced by a relatively small mechanized core of panzer and motorized divisions. Most units moved exactly as seen here: marching long distances on foot.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: USSR
📅 Date: 1941
📝 Subject: German infantry column with PzKpfw I during early Eastern Front operations
📷 Author: Unknown

• Wehrmacht motorization myth
• Light tank Pz I
• German panzers in USSR
• Early Eastern Front advance