Trespassing Into History

With the demolition of the pub "Zum Lindethal" in the German city of Gera, the Ballhaus (Ballroom) Gera was built around 1910. It soon became known as the "Gesellschaftshaus Wintergarten" ("Society House Winter Garden").

Things really got down to business in the ballroom and the restaurant - celebrations, carnivals, live performances and dances took place here regularly. The rooms were also used for conferences and exhibitions, and a choir had its permanent premises in the conservatory - and in 1924 and 1925 the ballroom even had its own orchestra....(more)

The Kohlmühle district is the smallest part of the community of Hohnstein in the Saxon Switzerland region and is located in the valley of the river Sebnitz. 

The impressive building of the Kohlmühle linoleum factory is characteristic of this place. Due to its brick construction, it is a listed building. In 1901/1902 the industrial factory for paper and cardboard production was opened. Another company took over the factory in 1906 with a focus on the production of artificial leather and oilcloth. In 1921, the production of table and print linoleum began. In 1931, the company...(more)

It was still morning, when Toeppi from "Fotodokumentationen" and I left the World War II air-raid shelter in Berlin to go check out three more locations - an abandoned chapel, an old retirement home and a field hospital. The two first spots are almost right next to each other; only a few hundred meters separate them from each other. It took us about 45 minutes to get there. There was plenty of parking space, and we decided to check out the chapel first. It was built together with a cemetery during the final days of World War II to bury soldiers and refugees that had died in the nearby military hospital that was operated by the Luftwaffe....(more)