Vacation Photos…70 years late.

During the 1940’s, Kodak made a nifty little item called the “Kodak Miniature Enlarger”  ….no, it was not an anatomical enhancement device…sorry, wrong website.  It was, essentially, all the needed photographic darkroom equipment housed in a convenient case about the size of a portable typewriter.

Inside, one found the enlarger lamphouse/negative carrier, lens assembly…a set of developing trays, bottles for chemistry, etc.  One could actually use the motel room’s bathroom with a towel stuffed under the door to make it light tight and process one’s film and make prints while still on vacation!  More than likely, however, the target audience for this product was those of us who are avid photographers but who lack adequate space for a full darkroom.  This enlarger would allow printing from 35mm, 828, and similar sized films of the day.  Nifty!

But that is not why I bought it.  Sure, it is nifty….but the real reason I purchased it was for what else was hidden away in the case.  A box, formerly containing a light meter….this box had markings on it from a PX.  A clue!  It was, at one time, owned by someone who bought it at the Post Exchange store on a military base.  Inside this box was not the expected light meter–which would have been cool enough anyway…..but…inside was 35 rolls of film!  Already processed.  Wrapped in tissue and neatly organized with little paper labels identifying where they were shot!  Some of them were NITRATE film!  Luckily none underwent rapid decomposition and subsequent “energetic disassembly”  ….nitrate film has a reputation for blowing up.  It actually mostly just burns violently….but yes, if packed like gunpowder…….well….you get the idea.  Anyway, here were 35 rolls of vintage negatives that likely no one realized were there.  If the shop owner knew, she did not mention it.

Naturally, such find deserves a closer look.  Labels included well known names like …”Bremen”   …”Denmark”  …”Switzerland”  …and numerous other places in and around Germany.  Upon inspection, it became obvious that whomever owned this originally was not only an avid photographer but was also stationed as part of the occupying force in Germany shortly after the war ended.  The photos were of typical sorts of stuff that a tourist would photograph.  Buildings.  Museums.  An airshow.  Stuff like that.  Many of the photos of buildings still showed a great deal of damage left from the conflict.  Rubble not yet removed.  Half destroyed steeples.  Such were common sights in the aftermath of WWII.

The airshow depicted a variety of WWII aircraft in quantities sufficient to bring a tear to the eyes of any aviation enthusiast.  Given postwar events, it seems likely that these are 1947-1950 vintage….although I’d like to find more information to help pin it down a little better.

And that’s just it.  This find is a mysterious puzzle.  No names.  Just lots of photos.  Some recognizable landmarks, some not.  The airshow has obvious aircraft clues, but no location given.  Such airshows were commonplace, and could have been held at any base…..and all such bases look pretty much the same.  Not having anymore information than that does not lead far in terms of nailing down who and when.  The where, for most of the rolls, is covered or at least generally covered, thanks to the organization on the part of the mystery photographer.

Storing rolls of film in tissue is far from ideal, so upon getting the rolls scanned we kept the labels but repackaged them in better containers.  Some day I would like to put all of the images, good or bad, into a book.  They captured history and survived what had to be a convoluted journey to reach a junk shelf in a store in Anchorage, Alaska almost 70 years later in order to provide a tantalizing glimpse into postwar Europe.

A related find, although not in the same place or the same time, was this old guidebook for Germany.  It was written primarily for housewives and children who were going to be living in the American sector while their husbands and fathers were stationed during the postwar occupation and reconstruction.  It provides a fascinating glimpse into actual life during this time.  Between a review of these old photos and a read through this book, I suspect I am well prepared for a vacation to Europe…….provided I can find a travel agent who can book me to 1947…….seems there was a Star Trek episode that involved studying history at the library and then being sent to the same place and era upon exiting the building.  What a great idea!