Upholsterers in Berlin 1917

Upholsterers in Berlin 1917.

The photo shows upholsterers in Berlin in 1917 – an impressive example of how women took over traditionally male professions during the First World War. While many men went to the front, these women used their manual skills to maintain and beautify urban spaces. The upholsterers carry ladders and buckets and show that women were able to carry out previously male-dominated activities, making an important contribution to the functioning of society in wartime.