On the occasion of the state visit of U.S. President John F. Kennedy to the Federal Republic of Germany in June 1963, large crowds lined the routes and venues in many places. The visit took place against the backdrop of the Cold War and the construction of the wall erected in 1961, and sparked extraordinary enthusiasm among the German population. The photograph shows from a bird’s-eye perspective a densely packed crowd of people, which was characteristic of Kennedy’s public appearances during his journey from June 23 to 26, 1963.