Date of use : 1920 Germany

Passauer Photo-Börse to Goltz & Breutmann Berlin

This business envelope, bearing the Passauer Photo-Börse letterhead, was sent by a company based in Passau, Germany, specializing in the supply and trade of photographic equipment. Such firms played a key role in the photographic industry of the period, acting as intermediaries that provided both amateur and professional photographers with the materials and tools required for image production.

The recipient of the envelope is the company Goltz & Breutmann, founded in Berlin in 1898 by Hugo Breutmann. The firm expanded in 1899 with the partnership of Franz Goltz and soon established itself as an important manufacturer within the photographic equipment sector. In response to the growing technical demands of the early twentieth century, the company developed cameras designed for a range of specialized applications.

Goltz & Breutmann gained particular recognition during the First World War through the production of cameras used in aerial photography. This highlights the increasing importance of photography not only as an artistic medium but also as a technical and scientific tool. In 1921, the company reorganized under the name "Mentor Kamera Fabrik-Goltz & Breutmann," reflecting a shift toward a more structured industrial identity.

In the later years, large-scale destruction had a direct impact on the company's operations. The factory suffered severe damage during the heavy bombardments of February 1945, which ultimately led to the cessation of its production activities.

This envelope represents more than a simple piece of correspondence. It serves as a historical document illustrating commercial relationships, industrial development, and the broader network of photographic production and distribution in Europe during the early twentieth century.

Record Information

Title: Passauer Photo-Börse to Goltz & Breutmann Berlin

Category: Photographic Industry History / Commercial Correspondence

Subcategory: Equipment Trade / Wartime Production

Country: Germany

City: Passau (Sender) → Berlin (Recipient)

Date of use: circa 1920

Company (Sender): Passauer Photo-Börse, Passau. Supplier and trader of photographic equipment, serving amateur and professional photographers.

Company (Recipient): Goltz & Breutmann, Berlin. Founded 1898 by Hugo Breutmann; Franz Goltz joined as partner in 1899. Manufacturer of photographic equipment, including aerial cameras during WWI. Reorganized as "Mentor Kamera Fabrik-Goltz & Breutmann" in 1921. Factory severely damaged in February 1945 bombardments, leading to cessation of production.

Object Type: Domestic commercial envelope

Postal Features: German postal markings, early 1920s commercial correspondence format.

Language: German

Material: Paper envelope

Dimensions: Standard envelope format

Collection Theme: Passauer Photo-Börse, Goltz & Breutmann history, Mentor Kamera Fabrik, aerial photography in WWI, German photographic equipment manufacturing, interwar commercial networks, wartime industrial impact.

Archival Significance: This 1920 envelope from Passauer Photo-Börse to Goltz & Breutmann documents commercial networks in the German photographic industry. Goltz & Breutmann's role as a manufacturer, including WWI aerial cameras, and its later reorganization as Mentor Kamera Fabrik illustrate industrial evolution. The factory's destruction in 1945 marks the end of an era. This item is a primary source for understanding equipment trade, production, and the impact of war on photographic manufacturing.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
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