20 Truly Fascinating Colorized Historical Photos

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 05/24/2024 in ftw

We're already almost done with the first month of 2024, but history moves slowly, and we have plenty of time to take a look back at our favorite historical photos of 2023. Specifically, r/ColorizedHistory's top 20 posts of the year. History photos take on a whole new layer once colorized, and thanks to modern techniques, we have the power to do it more realistically than ever before.

The very last photo in this gallery shows Harry Hudec, a 508th HQ Parachute Infantry Regiment and 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper in World War II. The very definition of "they don't make them like they used to," Harry stood at a towering 6' 4.5", and was his regiment's boxing champion. He jumped into Normandy on D-Day at 1:30 am, and was later wounded in the leg on June 15th. He hid on a local farm until meeting up with other Americans days later. On September 17th, he jumped again in the Ardennes. Hudec lived until the age of 85 and passed away in 2007 in Missouri.

Thanks to this colorized photo, we can look at Harry in his full and manly glory. Check that out, along with the 19 other most popular colorized historical photos of the year.

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1.
Swedish high jumper Gunhild Larking from the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, from archives of LIFE Magazine.
2.
"Master and Apprentice." Ip Man and his most famous student, Bruce Lee, 1957.
3.
Albert Einstein sailing on Saranac Lake, in Adirondack Park, New York, 1936.
4.
Rocky Marciano; The only heavyweight champion to have finished his career undefeated - 1953.
5.
Woman in white bathing suit on beach wearing big straw hat. August 3rd, 1938. Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts.
6.
Edgar Allan Poe in 1849.
7.
Unknown Dutch soldier smiling with Indonesian guerilla he captured earlier during a routine patrol in East Java, Indonesia, July 1946. Indonesian War of Independence.
8.
The Rolling Stones on the day of their first TV appearance, 7th July 1963.
9.
The Titanic leaving Belfast for her sea trials, April 2nd, 1912.
10.
Comedian and entertainer Lucille Ball applies makeup in her dressing room before a performance, 1934.
11.
Unknown woman loading cabbage into her 1941 Pontiac Torpedo, 1941-1945.
12.
Albert Einstein in 1921.
13.
Pope Leo XIII in 1887.
14.
A crowd gathered outside Tutankhamun's Tomb in the Valley Of The Kings, Egypt, 1922.
15.
Teddy Roosevelt, 1907.
16.
Korean boatman, 1904.
17.
Skateboarding, 1982.
18.
Soldier belonging to Gotland's infantry regiment, (I 27), trying to contain his laughter during a group photo outside the barracks at Visborg plain, Gotland, Sweden around 1900.
19.
Last King of Hawaii, David Kalakaua, 1882.
20.
Harry Hudec: A 508th HQ Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper who was a Regimental Boxing Champion during WW2. This photo was most likely taken in April 1945.

1.
Swedish high jumper Gunhild Larking from the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, from archives of LIFE Magazine.
2.
"Master and Apprentice." Ip Man and his most famous student, Bruce Lee, 1957.
3.
Albert Einstein sailing on Saranac Lake, in Adirondack Park, New York, 1936.
4.
Rocky Marciano; The only heavyweight champion to have finished his career undefeated - 1953.
5.
Woman in white bathing suit on beach wearing big straw hat. August 3rd, 1938. Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts.
6.
Edgar Allan Poe in 1849.
7.
Unknown Dutch soldier smiling with Indonesian guerilla he captured earlier during a routine patrol in East Java, Indonesia, July 1946. Indonesian War of Independence.
8.
The Rolling Stones on the day of their first TV appearance, 7th July 1963.
9.
The Titanic leaving Belfast for her sea trials, April 2nd, 1912.
10.
Comedian and entertainer Lucille Ball applies makeup in her dressing room before a performance, 1934.
11.
Unknown woman loading cabbage into her 1941 Pontiac Torpedo, 1941-1945.
12.
Albert Einstein in 1921.
13.
Pope Leo XIII in 1887.
14.
A crowd gathered outside Tutankhamun's Tomb in the Valley Of The Kings, Egypt, 1922.
15.
Teddy Roosevelt, 1907.
16.
Korean boatman, 1904.
17.
Skateboarding, 1982.
18.
Soldier belonging to Gotland's infantry regiment, (I 27), trying to contain his laughter during a group photo outside the barracks at Visborg plain, Gotland, Sweden around 1900.
19.
Last King of Hawaii, David Kalakaua, 1882.
20.
Harry Hudec: A 508th HQ Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper who was a Regimental Boxing Champion during WW2. This photo was most likely taken in April 1945.

gunhild larking - 56 Color by Klimbim Life

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54 Steamy '70s Photos of Studio 54

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NEXT GALLERY 54 Steamy '70s Photos of Studio 54

1. Swedish high jumper Gunhild Larking from the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, from archives of LIFE Magazine.

2. "Master and Apprentice." Ip Man and his most famous student, Bruce Lee, 1957.

3. Albert Einstein sailing on Saranac Lake, in Adirondack Park, New York, 1936.

4. Rocky Marciano; The only heavyweight champion to have finished his career undefeated - 1953.

5. Woman in white bathing suit on beach wearing big straw hat. August 3rd, 1938. Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts.

6. Edgar Allan Poe in 1849.

7. Unknown Dutch soldier smiling with Indonesian guerilla he captured earlier during a routine patrol in East Java, Indonesia, July 1946. Indonesian War of Independence.

8. The Rolling Stones on the day of their first TV appearance, 7th July 1963.

9. The Titanic leaving Belfast for her sea trials, April 2nd, 1912.

10. Comedian and entertainer Lucille Ball applies makeup in her dressing room before a performance, 1934.

11. Unknown woman loading cabbage into her 1941 Pontiac Torpedo, 1941-1945.

12. Albert Einstein in 1921.

13. Pope Leo XIII in 1887.

14. A crowd gathered outside Tutankhamun's Tomb in the Valley Of The Kings, Egypt, 1922.

15. Teddy Roosevelt, 1907.

16. Korean boatman, 1904.

17. Skateboarding, 1982.

18. Soldier belonging to Gotland's infantry regiment, (I 27), trying to contain his laughter during a group photo outside the barracks at Visborg plain, Gotland, Sweden around 1900.

19. Last King of Hawaii, David Kalakaua, 1882.

20. Harry Hudec: A 508th HQ Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper who was a Regimental Boxing Champion during WW2. This photo was most likely taken in April 1945.

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eBaum's Picks

1.
Swedish high jumper Gunhild Larking from the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, from archives of LIFE Magazine.

2.
"Master and Apprentice." Ip Man and his most famous student, Bruce Lee, 1957.

3.
Albert Einstein sailing on Saranac Lake, in Adirondack Park, New York, 1936.

4.
Rocky Marciano; The only heavyweight champion to have finished his career undefeated - 1953.

5.
Woman in white bathing suit on beach wearing big straw hat. August 3rd, 1938. Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts.

6.
Edgar Allan Poe in 1849.

7.
Unknown Dutch soldier smiling with Indonesian guerilla he captured earlier during a routine patrol in East Java, Indonesia, July 1946. Indonesian War of Independence.

8.
The Rolling Stones on the day of their first TV appearance, 7th July 1963.

9.
The Titanic leaving Belfast for her sea trials, April 2nd, 1912.

10.
Comedian and entertainer Lucille Ball applies makeup in her dressing room before a performance, 1934.

11.
Unknown woman loading cabbage into her 1941 Pontiac Torpedo, 1941-1945.

12.
Albert Einstein in 1921.

13.
Pope Leo XIII in 1887.

14.
A crowd gathered outside Tutankhamun's Tomb in the Valley Of The Kings, Egypt, 1922.

15.
Teddy Roosevelt, 1907.

16.
Korean boatman, 1904.

17.
Skateboarding, 1982.

18.
Soldier belonging to Gotland's infantry regiment, (I 27), trying to contain his laughter during a group photo outside the barracks at Visborg plain, Gotland, Sweden around 1900.

19.
Last King of Hawaii, David Kalakaua, 1882.

20.
Harry Hudec: A 508th HQ Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper who was a Regimental Boxing Champion during WW2. This photo was most likely taken in April 1945.