Vijf ulanen te Eggersdorf 1884

Conrad Ahrendts created this print of five uhlans at Eggersdorf. The image presents a romantic vision of military life in late 19th-century Germany. The uhlans, light cavalry armed with lances, were a symbol of Prussian military prowess, and this print would likely have resonated with a public eager for images of national strength and unity. Notice the way Ahrendts depicts the uhlans in a naturalistic setting, not posed or staged. The figures in the foreground are sharply in focus, while those further back are more blurred, as if captured in a snapshot. Consider the social context of the print’s creation. Germany had only recently unified in 1871. The military, and the image of the soldier, was central to the new nation’s identity. By studying sources such as military records, popular literature, and period newspapers, we can deepen our understanding of how images like this one contributed to a culture of militarism and nationalism in Wilhelmine Germany.