The film material was scanned from 35mm nitrate film originals that were found in a metal box in Munich in 2005. The sequences show various European cities, starting with Paris, Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam/Berlin, skiing in St. Moritz Switzerland, Munich, Upper Bavarian folklore in Bad Tölz and Copenhagen.

Historical context

A trip to Europe in 1926 through Paris, Potsdam, Munich, St. Moritz and Copenhagen sounds like an impressive and varied tour.

Paris was a centre of art and culture in the 1920s, known as the “Roaring Twenties”.

Potsdam was known for its magnificent palaces and gardens. You can see Sanssouci Palace: the summer residence of Frederick the Great with its beautiful gardens.

Munich was and is known for its Bavarian culture and historical sights. You can see a horse race in Riem, the Odeonsplatz and the Hirschgarten.

The Leonhardiritt of Bad Tölz is perhaps the first existing film recording of this folkloristic spectacle.

St. Moritz was already a fashionable ski resort and a centre for winter sports in the 1920s.

Copenhagen offered a mixture of historical architecture and modern culture.