Observation post on the French border
These two comrades of Gruber’s are positioned on a platform that, in all likelihood, had been erected by either the French or the Germans as an observation post along the Rhine.
For the actual war between the Nazis and France had been preceded by a period lasting roughly six months—termed the “Phoney War” (*Drôle de guerre*) by the French and the “Sitting War” (*Sitzkrieg*) by the Germans—during which war had indeed been declared, yet, prior to the launch of the German offensive, there was virtually no military activity beyond symbolic actions.
Consequently, such uncamouflaged observation posts would not have posed a significant risk at that time. Then again, the camouflage might simply have been removed following France’s defeat.
