EXHIBIT OF THE MONTH

The World War I-era postcard was printed in Tilsit around 1916–1918. German army soldiers were able to send home postcards with various views of the occupied city of Vilnius. A photo by the Kaiser’s German Army and manor photographer Alfred Kühlewindt (1870–1945 ) was used for the postcard.

 

 

On the obverse side of the postcard: Vilnius, German Street View (near the intersection of St. Nickolas’ and Žydų St.) overlooking St. Catherine's Church. At the top, there is the inscription in German: "Das Geschäftsviertel der Juden in Wilna" (Jewish Business District in Vilnius).

 

In the 19th century, the German Street became one of the main trading streets of Vilnius. Mainly there were Jewish shops there. Both large shops and small cramped outlets were located there.

 

The first, second and third floor facades host signboards in Russian and Polish: Мебельная торговля М. Анцелевича ("M. Ancelevich's Furniture Shop"), Складъ граммофоновъ [...] ("Gramophone Shop [...]", Граммофоны / пластинки ("Gramophones / Records"), Живописец Хволесъ ("Painter Chwoles"), Меховая торговля / Skład futer ("Fur Shop"), Магазин шляп Ш. Фина (Š. Fin’s Hat Shop), Г.Б. Мазель / G.B. Mazel, in Latin characters: Apotheke ("Pharmacy") and many other signboards of commercial enterprises (illegible). There are a lot of people on the street, and the driveway is full of messenger boys.

 

The reverse side of the postcard includes the indication of the publishing house: Verlag und Eigentum / der Buchdruckerei Pawlowski in Tilzit, "Tageblatt für Litauen" / Orig.-Aufn. v. Kriegs- u. Hofphot. Kühlewindt-Kgsbg. (Publishing house / Pawlowski printing house, Tilsit, "Daily newspaper for Lithuania"/ photo by war and manor photographer Kühlewindt, Koenigsberg).

 

 

The postcard belonged to General Field Marshal Herman von Eichhorn (1848–1918). Eichhorn's great-grandson, Rolf Dyckerhoff(Germany), handed over the postcard to the museum in 2023.