1895 – A historic cabinet photo shows the memorial parade progressing along the Lübecker Straße in Plön, Germany. Photo: Karl Ehmke, Plön
The story behind the image
Historical photos. I love them, especially when they cover an area where my ancesters lived. They help me to better reflect how they actually lead their lives.
This photo by Karl Ehmke shows the memorial parade progressing along the Lübecker Straße in Plön, Germany. The photo, captured in the cabinet format, just says Ploener Erinnerungsfeier 1895 (Ploen Memorial Celebration 1895). I did some research and found an announcement of the parade in a 1895 newspaper. The parade had been planned for the 18th August 1895, and the organizers pointed out that the fest should be “serious” with the goal of “proving that also in Plön and surroundings the great years of 1870/71 [the German-French war – Ed.] continue to work powerfully in head and heart, in thoughts and feelings.”
The photo shows without doubt Plön, with the street Gerberhof on the left. The parade is moving up the Lübecker Straße which leads to the central Marketplace. It must have been a hot and sunny day as many people carry an umbrella to protect against the sun.
The street had been decorated with flags and garlands, and everyone seemed to be on the street to watch the march. The police officer in the center front is Franz Otto Rößler, by the way.
The mood – especially among the girls dressed in white – is very good. At the head of the parade you can even see bright smiles. In the back there are riders and carriages. Apparently a big day for Plön.
Transparency note: On 27th December 2023 I added information on the reasons for the parade, based on a finding in the regional newspaper Lübecksche Anzeigen. I also applied a link to the post on Franz Otto Rößler.
The high resolution image
| Capture Date | 1895 |
| Photographer | Karl Ehmke, Plön |
| Location | Plön, Germany |
| Image Source | Albumen print from a glass negative, mounted, cabinet format (c. 10.7 x 16.4 cm) |
| Digital Image Source | EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo |
| Digital Image Source Format | TIFF, 48 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Format | JPEG, 24 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Dimensions | 13118 x 9440 Pixels |
| Copyright | Photo: Karl Ehmke Scan & Edit: Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com |
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