Date of use : 1941 Germany

Hermann Manegold: Pharmacist and Supplier of Photographic Chemicals

Hermann Manegold was a German pharmacist who is thought to have been born in the 1860s and worked in both medical products and photographic materials. During this period in Europe, medical drugstores (or pharmacies) were also important centers for photography-related products. Since photography involved chemical processes, pharmacies supplied the necessary chemicals for these processes. For example, the development and printing of photographic films used chemicals such as silver nitrate and developing solutions, which were also commonly found in pharmacies for medical and laboratory purposes. Given their accessibility, photographers often purchased their supplies from pharmacies.

Pharmacists, with their extensive knowledge of chemistry, understood how to prepare and store the chemicals used in photography. In the early days of photography, many of the chemical processes were complex, and pharmacists were able to offer advice and consultation to photographers. Pharmacies were also convenient places for the public to obtain photography services, such as portrait and document photos. Some even provided basic photo printing services.

The card's front side can be analyzed as follows: at the top, there is the phrase "Vergiß nicht Straße und Hausnummer anzugeben?" (Don't forget to provide the street and house number), which was a common postal reminder stamp. The stamp itself is from the Deutsches Reich period, showing a 6 Pfennig value with a profile representing Kaiser Wilhelm II. The postmark indicates it was sent from the Dresden post office in 1941. The text at the bottom advertises Müller & Wetzig, a Dresden-based company that produced "projection and enlargement devices" and was established in 1899. The year 1941, during which Germany was heavily involved in World War II, was a period when trade, particularly in industrial and medical equipment, continued. Industrial firms like Müller & Wetzig played a strategic role in producing technologies useful for both educational and military purposes. This card reflects how trade and industry persisted even during wartime, particularly in the field of projection and enlargement devices, which were utilized in industrial and medical fields.

On the back, the card is postmarked with Dresden A16 and dated June 24, 1941, during Nazi Germany. This was the period when Germany launched Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union. The phrase "Ihr Zeichen/Ihre Nachricht vom:" references a previous communication dated June 20, 1941. This is a common practice in commercial correspondence, serving as a reminder of the previous message. The letter states that Müller & Wetzig had sent a device to another company (Hermann Manegold Medizinal-Drogerie) on June 5. The overall content of the letter confirms that an order was processed and shipped to the customer.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
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