OBERNHOFER FEUERNACHT

A picture lecture by Hans-Peter Günther

Like hardly any other region in the German Empire, the Rhineland suffered from the consequences of the First World War. Not only the economic hardship shaped daily life along the Rhine, but also the consequences of French policy, which pushed for a border shift to the Rhine. Separatist unrest and occupation provoked defense strategies in the Rhineland. To strengthen patriotism, a series of public celebrations were organized. In 1925, the Rhineland celebrated the millennium with great ceremonial effort, based on a document from the year 925. The thousand-year anniversary of Lorraine's affiliation with the East Frankish Empire was celebrated. These celebrations were supported by all population groups: Exhibitions, music festivals, sports festivals, parades, theater performances, and festivities with Bengal fires in the Siebengebirge enriched the cultural program.

Several years earlier, art historian and monument conservator Dr. Edmund Renard, who had been active as a provincial conservator in Bonn since 1911, promoted the publication of a portfolio of color photographs. In collaboration with the Rhineland Association for Monument Preservation and Homeland Protection, elaborately designed portfolios with 40 plate images on cardboard and an additional 45 text images "in natural colors" were published in an accompanying text volume. The historical photographs and texts form the basis of the lecture, which also provides a look at the exhibition grounds built in 1925 for the "Reichsausstellung Deutscher Wein" in Koblenz. The buildings, originally erected only for the duration of the exhibition (August 8 to September 13), were so popular that they were retained as a tourist attraction – and were rebuilt after being destroyed in the Second World War until 1951.

Admission is free as always – donations are requested.
Registration is welcome by email to gaby.fischer@obernhofer-vollmondnacht.de or by phone at 0170 2751868.