in Then & Now, WWII

50+ Fascinating Then And Now Photos Of Different Cities During WWII And Now

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World War II was of the disastrous and transformative events of the 20th century. It marked the end of the British Empire as a world power and the confirmation of the United States as The Superpower. It is estimated that over 70 million people, including military and civilians, have died in WWII.  Large amounts of infrastructure were destroyed through six-year of ground battles and airstrikes. Families were separated for long periods of time, and many children lost their families. Some talented photographers combined historic photographs of WWII destruction, beginning and ending with the modern-day. They combined these photos with the same location in a single frame with the same angle. Check out these ghostly combinations of London, Berlin, Kaliningrad, and some other locations below. Also, check photos of Berlin during WWII and now.

#1 THEN: Moritzstrasse and the Juedenhof palace in 1946 NOW: the same area on 7 February 2015.

THEN: Moritzstrasse and the Juedenhof palace in 1946 NOW: the same area on 7 February 2015.

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#2 THEN: The view of Juno beach on June 6, 1944 and in 2004. The British 2nd Army: Royal Marine Commandos of Headquarters, 4th Special Service Brigade made landfall on French soil. NOW: The Same Location.

THEN: The view of Juno beach on June 6, 1944 and in 2004. The British 2nd Army: Royal Marine Commandos of Headquarters, 4th Special Service Brigade made landfall on French soil. NOW: The Same Location.

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#3 THEN: A statue on the tower of City Hall looking down at the ruins of the city centre. NOW: the same scene on 12 February 2015.

THEN: A statue on the tower of City Hall looking down at the ruins of the city centre. NOW: the same scene on 12 February 2015.

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#4 THEN: Women in 1946 carrying bricks outside the Martin Luther church NOW: Same area on 12 February 2015.

THEN: Women in 1946 carrying bricks outside the Martin Luther church NOW: Same area on 12 February 2015.

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#5 THEN: The ruins of the Frauenkirche church and the empty pedestal for a statue of Martin Luther in 1946. NOW: The reconstructed church and statue, 2015.

THEN: The ruins of the Frauenkirche church and the empty pedestal for a statue of Martin Luther in 1946. NOW: The reconstructed church and statue, 2015.

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#6 THEN: The ruins of the city centre, including Prager Strasse NOW: The same view on 7 February 2015.

THEN: The ruins of the city centre, including Prager Strasse NOW: The same view on 7 February 2015.

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#7 THEN: Ruins of buildings around Neumarkt square and a fountain with a statue in 1946 NOW The same scene on 22 January 2015.

THEN: Ruins of buildings around Neumarkt square and a fountain with a statue in 1946 NOW The same scene on 22 January 2015.

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#8 THEN: From left, propaganda director Heinz Grunewald, Dresden mayor Walter Weidauer and town architect Dr C Herbert in March 1946 outside City Hall NOW: The same setting on 12 February 2015.

THEN: From left, propaganda director Heinz Grunewald, Dresden mayor Walter Weidauer and town architect Dr C Herbert in March 1946 outside City Hall NOW: The same setting on 12 February 2015.

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#9 THEN: A portion of the Zwinger art museum in 1946. NOW: The same location in 2015.

THEN: A portion of the Zwinger art museum in 1946. NOW: The same location in 2015.

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#10 THEN: A blaze in the Negretti and Zambra building at Holborn Circus, London, after a German bombing raid. NOW: A street scene at Holborn Circus on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: A blaze in the Negretti and Zambra building at Holborn Circus, London, after a German bombing raid. NOW: A street scene at Holborn Circus on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

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#11 THEN: A wrecked Humber car on Pall Mall, London after an air raid during the London Blitz, 15th October 1940. NOW: A street scene at Pall Mall in Piccadilly on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: A wrecked Humber car on Pall Mall, London after an air raid during the London Blitz, 15th October 1940. NOW: A street scene at Pall Mall in Piccadilly on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

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#12 THEN: Londoners sheltering on a platform at Bounds Green tube station during an air raid in The Blitz.NOW: A platform at Bounds Green underground station on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: Londoners sheltering on a platform at Bounds Green tube station during an air raid in The Blitz.NOW: A platform at Bounds Green underground station on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

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#13 THEN: The interior of Westminster Abbey after a German bombing raid. NOW: A view of the choir and altar of Westminster Abbey, on January 13, 2015 in London, England.

THEN: The interior of Westminster Abbey after a German bombing raid. NOW: A view of the choir and altar of Westminster Abbey, on January 13, 2015 in London, England.

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#14 THEN: A police officer and a soldier inspecting the aftermath of a German air raid, Portman Street, London, 19th September 1940. NOW: A street scene at Portman Sreet near Marble Arch, on April 21, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: A police officer and a soldier inspecting the aftermath of a German air raid, Portman Street, London, 19th September 1940. NOW: A street scene at Portman Sreet near Marble Arch, on April 21, 2016 in London, England.

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#15 THEN: Bomb damage in London’s Leicester Square caused by German air raids during the Blitz, 1941. NOW: A view of the Vue cinema in Leicester Square on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: Bomb damage in London's Leicester Square caused by German air raids during the Blitz, 1941. NOW: A view of the Vue cinema in Leicester Square on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

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#16 THEN: Soldiers help to clear the debris of Bank Underground Station, in front of The Royal Exchange, London, the morning after receiving a direct hit during the Blitz. NOW: A street scene at Bank junction in front of the Royal Exchange on April 25, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: Soldiers help to clear the debris of Bank Underground Station, in front of The Royal Exchange, London, the morning after receiving a direct hit during the Blitz. NOW: A street scene at Bank junction in front of the Royal Exchange on April 25, 2016 in London, England.

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#17 THEN: A bus is left leaning against the side of a terrace in Harrington Square, Mornington Crescent, in the aftermath of a German bombing raid on London in the first days of the Blitz, 9th September 1940. NOW: A view of modern social housing near Mornington Crescent on April 21, 2016 in London.

THEN: A bus is left leaning against the side of a terrace in Harrington Square, Mornington Crescent, in the aftermath of a German bombing raid on London in the first days of the Blitz, 9th September 1940. NOW: A view of modern social housing near Mornington Crescent on April 21, 2016 in London.

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#18 THEN: A crater and damaged railings outside Buckingham Palace, London, after the explosion of a German bomb dropped in an air raid the previous day. NOW: Tourists gather outside Buckingham Palace on April 26, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: A crater and damaged railings outside Buckingham Palace, London, after the explosion of a German bomb dropped in an air raid the previous day. NOW: Tourists gather outside Buckingham Palace on April 26, 2016 in London, England.

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#19 THEN: Bomb damage caused by a World War II air raid on Berkeley Square, London, 29th April 1942. NOW: A street scene in Berkeley Square, Mayfair on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: Bomb damage caused by a World War II air raid on Berkeley Square, London, 29th April 1942. NOW: A street scene in Berkeley Square, Mayfair on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

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#20 THEN: A huge hole in the Strand, where a bomb was dropped during an air raid over central London. NOW: A street scene looking down the Strand towards St.Mary-le-Strand church, on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: A huge hole in the Strand, where a bomb was dropped during an air raid over central London. NOW: A street scene looking down the Strand towards St.Mary-le-Strand church, on May 1, 2016 in London, England.

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#21 THEN: A view east down the Thames towards smoke rising from fires in Surrey docks, following the first German air raid of the London Blitz, 7th September 1940. NOW: A view of Tower Bridge on the River Thames on April 25, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: A view east down the Thames towards smoke rising from fires in Surrey docks, following the first German air raid of the London Blitz, 7th September 1940. NOW: A view of Tower Bridge on the River Thames on April 25, 2016 in London, England.

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#22 THEN: An area near St Pancras Station in London showing the damage caused by a German air raid during the London blitz in World War II. NOW: A view of the British Library beside St Pancras hotel on May 3, 2016 in London, England.

THEN: An area near St Pancras Station in London showing the damage caused by a German air raid during the London blitz in World War II. NOW: A view of the British Library beside St Pancras hotel on May 3, 2016 in London, England.

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#23 THEN: Crowds saluting to Adolf Hitler passing by in a motorcade on October 2, 1938. NOW: A view from approximately the same perspective along on April 30, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

THEN: Crowds saluting to Adolf Hitler passing by in a motorcade on October 2, 1938. NOW: A view from approximately the same perspective along on April 30, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

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#24 THEN: People walking past the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on July, 20, 1945. NOW: A view from the same perspective along Budapester Strasse on May 2, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

THEN: People walking past the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on July, 20, 1945. NOW: A view from the same perspective along Budapester Strasse on May 2, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

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#25 THEN: A German soldier sitting in front of the ruins of the Reichstag at the end of Worl War II on May 9, 1945. NOW: A view from the same perspective on March 18, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

THEN: A German soldier sitting in front of the ruins of the Reichstag at the end of Worl War II on May 9, 1945. NOW: A view from the same perspective on March 18, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

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#26 THEN: Russian and U.S. troops in front of the ruins of the Brandenburg Gate at the end of World War II in 1945. NOW: A view from the same perspective on May 2, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

THEN: Russian and U.S. troops in front of the ruins of the Brandenburg Gate at the end of World War II in 1945. NOW: A view from the same perspective on May 2, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

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#27 THEN: Two boys sitting at thr ruins of the Hercules fountain at Luetzowplatz after World War II in 1945 in Berlin. A view from the same perspective on April 29, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

THEN: Two boys sitting at thr ruins of the Hercules fountain at Luetzowplatz after World War II in 1945 in Berlin. A view from the same perspective on April 29, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

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#28 THEN: British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery addressing Allied troops near Tiergarten park after World War II in 1945 in Berlin, Germany. NOW: A view from the same perspective on April 29, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

THEN: British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery addressing Allied troops near Tiergarten park after World War II in 1945 in Berlin, Germany. NOW: A view from the same perspective on April 29, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

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#29 THEN: U.S. (L) and Soviet troops greeting one another on a damaged bridge over the Elbe River towards the end of World War II on April 26, 1945 in Torgau, Germany. NOW: A view on the same bridge from the same perspective on April 29.

THEN: U.S. (L) and Soviet troops greeting one another on a damaged bridge over the Elbe River towards the end of World War II on April 26, 1945 in Torgau, Germany. NOW: A view on the same bridge from the same perspective on April 29.

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#30 THEN: German prisoners were gathered at the beach of Bernières-sur-Mer, France. NOW: The Same Location.

THEN: German prisoners were gathered at the beach of Bernières-sur-Mer, France. NOW: The Same Location.

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#31 THEN: An American armada gathered off of Omaha Beach, Normandy, in 1944. NOW: The same beach Today.

THEN: An American armada gathered off of Omaha Beach, Normandy, in 1944. NOW: The same beach Today.

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#32 THEN: American troops on Omaha Beach. NOW: The same beach today.

THEN: American troops on Omaha Beach. NOW: The same beach today.

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#33 THEN: A dead Germany soldier in Trevieres, France, on June 15, 1944. NOW: The the same village today.

THEN: A dead Germany soldier in Trevieres, France, on June 15, 1944. NOW: The the same village today.

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#34 THEN: A Canadian soldier directs traffic after the Normandy invasion in Bernieres-sur-Mer. NOW: The same street today.

THEN: A Canadian soldier directs traffic after the Normandy invasion in Bernieres-sur-Mer. NOW: The same street today.

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#35 THEN: Three soldiers of the 23rd Field Ambulance of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division place flowers on graves in June 1944. NOW: The graveyard today.

THEN: Three soldiers of the 23rd Field Ambulance of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division place flowers on graves in June 1944. NOW: The graveyard today.

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#36 THEN: An older couple watch a Canadian soldier with a bulldozer working in the ruins of a house in the rue de Bayeux on July 10, 1944. NOW: The same place.

THEN: An older couple watch a Canadian soldier with a bulldozer working in the ruins of a house in the rue de Bayeux on July 10, 1944. NOW: The same place.

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#52 THEN: The ruins at Theaterplatz square in 1946. NOW: Residenzschloss Dresden palace , 2015

THEN: The ruins at Theaterplatz square in 1946. NOW: Residenzschloss Dresden palace , 2015

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#53 THEN: A German artillery gun standing in front of the ruins of the Reichstag after World War II in July, 1945 in Berlin, Germany. NOW: A view from the same perspective on March 20, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

THEN: A German artillery gun standing in front of the ruins of the Reichstag after World War II in July, 1945 in Berlin, Germany. NOW: A view from the same perspective on March 20, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

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Written by Jacob Aberto

Sincere, friendly, curious, ambitious, enthusiast. I'm a content crafter and social media expert. I love Classic Movies because their dialogue, scenery and stories are awesome.