Kapitänleutnant Johannes Hartrumpf en chauffeur Dreincker voor de Dienststelle van de 9. Rämbootsflottille van de Duitse Kriegsmarine aan de Schiedamseweg te Vlaardingen naast zijn dienstwagen Possibly 1943

This photograph shows Kapitänleutnant Johannes Hartrumpf and chauffeur Dreincker in Vlaardingen next to their Dienststelle car. The photograph provides insight into the social conditions of the Netherlands under German occupation. The presence of a high-ranking German naval officer and his chauffeur highlights the power dynamics at play, where German authorities exerted control over Dutch territory and resources. This image invites us to consider the experiences of ordinary Dutch citizens living under occupation, who would have witnessed such displays of authority on a daily basis. Historians consult a variety of sources, including archival documents, oral histories, and visual materials like this photograph, to piece together a more complete understanding of the past. In this case, the photograph serves as a reminder of the complex social and political realities of wartime, where individual lives were shaped by larger historical forces.