Germany

Flying Train “Wuppertal Schwebebahn” in Germany, 1902

Flying Train “Wuppertal Schwebebahn” in Germany, 1902

Construction on the actual Schwebebahn began in 1898, overseen by the government’s master builder, Wilhelm Feldmann. On 24 October 1900, Emperor Wilhelm II participated in a monorail trial run. In 1901 the railway came into operation. It opened in sections: the line from Kluse to Zoo/Stadion opened on 1 March, the line to the western terminus at Vohwinkel opened on…
Vintage: Hamburg, Germany (1910s)

Vintage: Hamburg, Germany (1910s)

When Jan van Valckenborgh introduced a second layer to the fortifications to protect against the Thirty Years War in the seventeenth century, he extended Hamburg and created a “New Town” (Neustadt) whose street names still date from the grid system of roads he introduced. In 1842, about a quarter of the inner city was destroyed in the “Great Fire”. The…
Vintage: Everyday Life and Street Scenes of Nuremberg (1910s)

Vintage: Everyday Life and Street Scenes of Nuremberg (1910s)

Nuremberg held great significance during the Nazi Germany era. Because of the city’s relevance to the Holy Roman Empire and its position in the centre of Germany, the Nazi Party chose the city to be the site of huge Nazi Party conventions — the Nuremberg rallies. The rallies were held 1927, 1929 and annually 1933–1938 in Nuremberg. After Adolf Hitler’s…
Vintage: Everyday Life and Street Scenes of Nuremberg (1910s)

Vintage: Everyday Life and Street Scenes of Nuremberg (1910s)

Nuremberg held great significance during the Nazi Germany era. Because of the city’s relevance to the Holy Roman Empire and its position in the centre of Germany, the Nazi Party chose the city to be the site of huge Nazi Party conventions — the Nuremberg rallies. The rallies were held 1927, 1929 and annually 1933–1938 in Nuremberg. After Adolf Hitler’s…
Historic B&W photos of Berlin, Germany (19th Century)

Historic B&W photos of Berlin, Germany (19th Century)

The Industrial Revolution transformed Berlin during the 19th century; the city’s economy and population expanded dramatically, and it became the main railway hub and economic centre of Germany. Additional suburbs soon developed and increased the area and population of Berlin. In 1861, neighboring suburbs including Wedding, Moabit and several others were incorporated into Berlin. In 1871, Berlin became capital of…
Vintage: Everyday Life and Street Scenes of Nuremberg (1910s)

Vintage: Everyday Life and Street Scenes of Nuremberg (1910s)

Nuremberg held great significance during the Nazi Germany era. Because of the city’s relevance to the Holy Roman Empire and its position in the centre of Germany, the Nazi Party chose the city to be the site of huge Nazi Party conventions — the Nuremberg rallies. The rallies were held 1927, 1929 and annually 1933–1938 in Nuremberg. After Adolf Hitler’s…
Vintage: historic photos of Hamburg, Germany in the late 19th Century

Vintage: historic photos of Hamburg, Germany in the late 19th Century

Hamburg adopted in 1860 a democratic constitution that provided for the election of the Senate, the governing body of the city-state, by adult taxpaying males. Other innovations included the separation of powers, the separation of Church and State, freedom of the press, of assembly and association. Hamburg became a member of the North German Confederation (1866–1871) and of the German…
Biography: German photographer Albert Renger-Patzsch

Biography: German photographer Albert Renger-Patzsch

Albert Renger-Patzsch (1897 – 1966) was a German photographer associated with the New Objectivity. Renger-Patzsch experimented with photography as a teenager. After serving in World War I, he studied chemistry at Dresden Technical College. In 1920 he became director of the picture archive at the Folkwang publishing house in Hagen. In 1925 Renger-Patzsch began to pursue photography as a full-time…
Vintage: The Golden Twenties in Berlin (1920s)

Vintage: The Golden Twenties in Berlin (1920s)

1920s Berlin was a city of many social contrasts. While a large part of the population continued to struggle with high unemployment and deprivations in the aftermath of World War I, the upper class of society, and a growing middle class, gradually rediscovered prosperity and turned Berlin into a cosmopolitan city.
Historic B&W photos of Hanover, Germany (19th century)

Historic B&W photos of Hanover, Germany (19th century)

From 1868 to 1946 Hanover was the capital of the Prussian Province. For Hanover’s industry, however, the new connection with Prussia meant an improvement in business. The introduction of free trade promoted economic growth, and led to the recovery of the Gründerzeit (founders’ era). Between 1871 and 1912 Hanover’s population grew from 87,600 to 313,400. In 1872 the first horse…
Biography: Fine Art / Botanical photographer Karl Blossfeldt

Biography: Fine Art / Botanical photographer Karl Blossfeldt

Karl Blossfeldt (1865 – 1932) was a German photographer, sculptor, teacher, and artist who worked in Berlin, Germany. In 1881 Blossfeldt began his studies as an apprentice at the Art Ironworks and Foundry in Mägdesprung, Germany, where he studied sculpture and iron casting. He then moved to Berlin to study at the School of the Museum of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbemuseum).…
Historic B&W photos of Munich, Bavaria, Germany in the 19th century

Historic B&W photos of Munich, Bavaria, Germany in the 19th century

n 1806, Munich became the capital of the new Kingdom of Bavaria, with the state’s parliament (the Landtag) and the new archdiocese of Munich and Freising being located in the city. Twenty years later Landshut University was moved to Munich. Many of the city’s finest buildings belong to this period and were built under the first three Bavarian kings. Especially…
Biography: City Life / Street photographer Herbert Dombrowski

Biography: City Life / Street photographer Herbert Dombrowski

Herbert Dombrowski (1917-2010) was a German photographer. Dombrowski was born in Hamburg in 1917 and began to take pictures as a high-school student. He was 19 when he went to the Hamburg port at night to photograph the SS St. Louis. The image, taken with a used Leica camera, was published on the cover of Reclams Universum, a popular illustrated…
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 1920 German silent horror film, directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Considered the quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema, it tells the story of an insane hypnotist (Werner Krauss) who uses a somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) to commit murders. The film features a dark and twisted visual style,…