Propaganda Filming of the Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B Armored Car — Eastern Front, WWII

July 2, 2025 - Reading time: 2 minutes

A Nazi propaganda film captures the Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B armored vehicle of the 3rd Panzer Division during its campaign on the Eastern Front, reinforcing the image of German military dominance in WWII.

In this rare image, we see the Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B armored vehicle, a symbol of Nazi military propaganda, captured by the lens of a film crew working for the Third Reich during the early days of the war on the Eastern Front. The Sd.Kfz.247, a heavily armored, open-top vehicle, was primarily used as a command and reconnaissance vehicle for the Wehrmacht’s armored divisions. Its distinct design, mounted on a four-wheel drive Horch 801 chassis, gave it the ability to navigate rough terrain while providing essential communication and coordination capabilities. Manufactured by Daimler-Benz, only 58 of these specialized vehicles were produced between 1937 and 1942. As the 3rd Panzer Division pushed deep into Soviet territory, the propaganda film captured this powerful image, reinforcing the idea of German superiority on the battlefield. By the time the vehicle was used in the war’s later stages, however, the once-prominent armored cars of the early blitzkrieg had begun to fade in the face of increasingly formidable Soviet defenses.

Technical photo data:
📍 Location: Eastern Front, USSR
📅 Date of photo: 1941
📷 Photographer: Unknown (propaganda film crew)