In June 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited the Federal Republic of Germany; hundreds of thousands lined the streets and squares all along the route. The photograph shows a completely filled plaza in front of a historic city hall building, documenting the extraordinary extent of enthusiasm among the German population. Kennedy’s visit, set against the background of the Cold War and the construction of the Wall in 1961, was a central signal of Western solidarity with the Federal Republic and West Berlin.