Photos Without Families

This lost photograph, taken in Vienna, found its way to me through an online shop in Germany. As so often, the real clues were on the back: a few handwritten names: Marie Hoheisel née Perzina with Emmi and Kurt.

The digitized Czech Archives helped me reconstruct the following details: Johann Hohmann and Anna Korb married on January 31, 1815, in Schlaggenwald. The woman in the photo was born on April 29, 1795—nearly 230 years ago! How incredible is that?

Happy Wedding Wednesday! Here are Theodor Acksteiner with his bride Anna Dworschak in Vienna in 1900.

This photo came with lots of valuable clues! It shows Johanna Kostinec, wife of Jakob Kolecka and wife of Johann Melzmuf from Vienna.

This photo was taken in Vienna, Austria, and someone has labelled it in a neat handwriting, it says: “Souvenir, Ludwig Gezek, 18 IX 94”.

Rudolf “Rudi” Hochenegg was born on June 20, 1894 in Vienna, Austria, as the oldest child of prof. med. Julius Hochenegg and Julie.

What would I do without my Instagram community! Once again they’ve helped me put together the puzzle pieces of another lost photograph! I wasn’t sure what was written on the back of this early 1900s wedding photo from Vienna, Austria, so I asked my Instagram family and together we pieced together that it says: Tante und Onkel Windisch (aunt and uncle Windisch) Leopoldine & Johann (Mannsdorf 4 Bruder von Maria Pohl (brother of Maria Pohl) Ok, so my first step was to check if a

This here was Johann Ewald Leyer from Vienna, Austria. He was 1 year and 14 days old in the photo, which was taken on August 20, 1892. I love how the photographer captured this moment in little Johann’s life, all distracted by his shoe. Johann could not wait to put on his shoes all by himself and go explore the big world! What do you think little Johann was like? What or who do you think he loved? I can give you a clue – probably animals. Johann Ewald Leyer was born on Augus

In May, 1908, Rudolf Kruzik-Vogel sent this photo of himself to his brother Karl in Vienna. Rudolf was not in the best mood, in fact he was miserable. He was once again out of job. He had quarrelled with his Berlin host parents and moved out. "We could not stand each other", he wrote. He had got engaged the previous Christmas and was now living with his in-laws. You'd think he'd be over the moon about his engagement. False alarm. He hated that life, "I'd rather hang myself",

Julius Carl Haag came from a long line of master bakers and confectioners. His father Julius Haag Sr. as well as his grandfather Johann Haag had been bakers in Vienna. Julius’ parents Julius Haag and Anna née Köllner got married on April 5, 1878 in Vienna. Julius was born on January 5, 1881, his brother Karl on October 2, 1884. Just like Julius, brother Karl also mastered the profession. Fun fact: the Haag brothers went on to marry the Stöhr sisters, daughters of butcher Edu

Therese and Emil Hofmann from Vienna, Austria. I bought this photo online in the hopes that despite such a common German/Austrian surname...