1919 – A historical map of the area between Plön and Eutin in Germany. Map © Julius Simonsen Kunstverlag, Scan © by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com
The story behind the image
Here is yet another bonus post. I call it a ‘bonus’ because it’s not a photo (but a scan of an artwork) and may only be relevant for specific interests. In this case, for those who actively research the history of Eutin in Germany and its surroundings. However, looking at the design ideas below, I feel that it may be an attractive wall decoration for your home as well (again, if you are interested in the region.)
This map was printed on a postcard dated September 1919. I really like the soft colors, but the content is even better as it shows a lot of the places where my ancesters (from my grandfather’s side) lived: Malente Gremsmühlen, Neukirchen, Bruhnskoppel, and Eutin.
An interesting snapshot of the past.
* * *
A few words about the publisher, Julius Simonsen. He was born in 1876 in Süderbrarup, a small town between Schleswig and Flensburg. Originally trained to become a merchant he decided to moved into the photo business at the age of 20 when he joined the studio of L. Christensen in Oldenburg in Holstein. Just four years later, in 1899, Simonsen acquired the business from Christensen.
Simonsen found his business at the starting point of two important developments: Firstly, tourism was picking up across the region, and travelers wanted to send their friends greetings via postcards. Consequently, demand for content and postcards was picking up as well. Secondly, photography had seen huge technological improvements and was about to become mainstream technology. So, Simonsen photographed the beautiful spots in northern Germany, then printed and sold the postcards under the label Kunstverlag Julius Simonsen. Over time, he added several shops in the region, and business was better than ever. With the beginning of the First World War, Simonsen had to pause the business for about a decade, until interest in travel and photography was on the rise again. In 1935, he handed over the business to his son Hans.
Nikolaus Julius Simonsen died on the 29th October 1943 in Oldenburg at the age of 67. His stunning work will continue to live in the photo archives forever, showing the beauty of a world that has significantly changed since then.
Design ideas
The high resolution image
| Published | before 1919 |
| Publisher | Julius Simonsen Kunstverlag, Oldenburg in Holstein |
| Location | Eutin, Germany |
| Image Source | 14 x 8.8 cm Lithography on postcard |
| 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 | 12892 x 7195 Pixels |
| Copyright | Map by Julius Simonsen Kunstverlag Scan by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com |
Zanzig.com Photo Hub 