The photographs in this collection were taken mainly by unknown Wehrmacht and SS soldiers stationed in Warsaw. They had modern photo equipment, cameras manufactured by German companies Leica and Contax, and enjoyed a complete freedom of moving around and taking photos in the occupied city. They also had easy access to photographic materials and labs. Most importantly, however, they were not subject to the ban on taking photos, or even possessing a camera, that applied to Poles.

The photographs by German soldiers donated to the Photo Library were mainly of a souvenir character and did not follow the official recommendations established at the time by German Propaganda-Kompanie (PK) officers. The authors' attention was drawn to buildings and structures damaged in September 1939, parks, metropolitan architecture, passers-by and signs of the German presence in the city. They would send the prints to their loved ones back at home, or collect them in albums. The authors themselves appear in some of their photos, e.g. posing in front of the Saxon Palace or burnt-out Royal Castle. The most touching photos of this collection show images of the Warsaw ghetto taken by a Luftwaffe soldier. Other photographs, taken mainly in the City Centre, provide a valuable source of iconographic knowledge of the appearance and life of Warsaw and its residents at the time.