Groepsportret van (voormalige) schoolhoofden van Schule Schloss Salem c. 1929

This black and white photograph depicts a group portrait of former headmasters of Schule Schloss Salem, its date and photographer are unknown. The photograph offers us a glimpse into the culture of elite education in interwar Germany. Schule Schloss Salem was founded in 1920 with distinctly progressive aims, intending to foster a new generation of German leaders after the First World War. Yet, as we consider the image, we might ask, what exactly did this progressivism entail and for whom was it intended? The composition suggests a very masculine environment, dominated by ideas of athleticism, duty, and national service. The photograph also speaks to the codes of class at this time; dress codes, ways of standing, and implicit expectations of leadership. Photographs like this offer rich material for historians. Catalogues, school records, biographies, and other archival sources, can provide insight into the beliefs and values that underpinned institutions like Schule Schloss Salem. Understanding art is not just about aesthetics, but it involves examining its role within a specific social and institutional context.