
1926 – Ranger Paul Gehring with his wife Eugenie and his daughter Irmgard pose for the photographer in front of the ranger station in Schönwalde am Bungsberg in Germany. © Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com
The story behind the image
And here is the second part to the story I posted earlier today. It shows Paul, Eugenie, and Irmgard in exactly the same location and position as 16 years before. The photo was taken by my grandmother, Edith, so she cannot be part of the photo.
The 16 years also show in the photo technique. While the shot from 1910 was clearly done with professional equipment and probably by one of the local professional photographers (most likely the great Alb. Giesler who had been the photo supplier of the Oldenburg court), this shot lacks clarity and has probably been shot with an early consumer camera.
The back of the photo print has been designed as a postcard, and there’s some copy (written in the German Kurrentschrift which is really hard to read) that talks about the upcoming wedding of Irmgard in June 1926. By the standards of that period, it was about time to get married as she was already 18.
Comparing the two photos, it’s obvious that the family has aged. But the house has seen some changes as well: the trees have been removed, the entrace has also been cleared from the ivy, the hedge has been replaced by a prolongation of the fence.
I totally adore these two photos, because they provide some historic background for my family and help me understand who I am and where I am coming from. Which is great.
The high resolution image
Capture Date | 1926 |
Location | Schönwalde am Bungsberg, Germany |
Image Source | 9 x 14 cm Print from Original Negative Film |
Digital Image Source | EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo |
Digital Image Source Format | TIFF, 48 bits/pixel, AdobeRGB |
Edited Image Format | JPEG, 24 bits/pixel, sRGB |
Edited Image Dimensions | 6574 x 4142 Pixels |
Copyright | © by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com |