The Hand That Betrayed Her - Diorama of the Day

by Paul Keefe

Brave young Czeslawa, the star of this diorama. She is wearing the uniform of today's Polish Army. Her gloved left hand holds a magnetic anti-tank mine, based on the design of those used be Germany during the Second World War.

This perspective illustrates the triangle made up of the Uberkrote's belly mounted camera, Czeslawa's (ungloved) right hand (the hand that betrayed her), and the expression on her face. 

In 1958 the driverless scout vehicle Uberkrote by the Kaiser's Wanderung Panzer Werke, Spandau pl, was recognized as a standard weapon of the Imperial German Forces. Assigned primarily to the reconnaissance squadrons of panzer formations it's most noteable deployment was with the 22 Luftlande Brigade during the boarder clashes with the Polish Republic in the early 1960s. Many were lost on the Oder R. front, falling victim to the elite hunter/killer infantry teams of the Polish Defense Force. 

It has since been withdrawn from front line service.