Drie gezichten op Hamburg, afgebeeld de Kriegerdenkmal door Johannes Schilling, de Thurm der Eulenburg en het beeld Walkürengruppe door Bruno Kruse 1894

Wilhelm Dreesen captured “Three Views of Hamburg” with photography, showing the Kriegerdenkmal, the Thurm der Eulenburg, and the Walkürengruppe. Dreesen, working in a time of significant shifts in German identity, offers a window into the cultural landscape of Hamburg. The Kriegerdenkmal or war memorial reflects a society grappling with the aftermath of conflict, and the desire to honor those lost, yet what narratives of heroism are being commemorated and at whose expense? The imagery of the Valkyrie in the third photograph touches upon themes of strength, and perhaps an idealized vision of womanhood. As you reflect on Dreesen’s photographs, consider how these monuments and structures embody the values, memories, and aspirations of a changing society. What stories do they tell, and whose voices might be missing from these representations?