A stereoview comprising two albumen prints depicting the damaged terrace and staircase of Schloss Geisberg, the château near Wissembourg that served as a French headquarters during the opening battle of the Franco-Prussian War on 4 August 1870. A man in civilian dress, leaning on a cane, stands on the stone staircase amid rubble, broken masonry, and shattered window shutters; a second figure is visible in the archway below. The printed caption identifies the site and the series title as documentation of the war's aftermath.
The mount is captioned 'Kriegsschauplatz 1870' and 'SCHLOSS GEISBERG Die bombardirte Terrasse', with the imprint of C. Holzamer, photographer and publisher in Worms, distributed through E. Linde's Photographic Depot in Berlin — a pairing consistent with commercially issued stereo documentation of Franco-Prussian War sites shortly after the conflict.
Photographer/publisher: C. Holzamer (Worms), distributed by E. Linde's Photographic Depot, Berlin
Period/date: circa 1870
Dimensions: 175 x 85 mm
Condition: Good; overall even yellowing to the albumen prints consistent with age, moderate foxing concentrated in the sky areas, a vertical crease/crack running through the right-hand image, and light wear and soft corners to the red mount. The images remain sharp with good tonal contrast.
Reverse: No verso scan available.
Keywords: France, Franco-Prussian War, stereoview, albumen print, Holzamer
Photographer Biography:
C. Holzamer was active as a photographer and publisher in Worms, Germany, from around 1870.
His output included topographical views of Worms, such as the cathedral and the Luther Monument, as well as studio portraiture.
Holzamer also produced stereoviews documenting sites associated with the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.
His prints were distributed through photographic depots in other German cities, including E. Linde's establishment in Berlin.
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