Mannen met een ezel in Bulgaars berglandschap, tijdens een rondreis van Eugen Wachenheimer en zijn echtgenote Else Wachenheimer-Moos door Bulgarije, 1923-1923, (mogelijk omgeving Sofia) 1922 - 1923

This photograph, taken in 1923, captures Eugen and Else Wachenheimer's travels through the Bulgarian mountains, possibly near Sofia. The anonymous photographer has frozen a moment of their journey, with men posing alongside a donkey amidst a rugged landscape. The image creates meaning through its depiction of travel and exploration, popular activities for the European middle class at the time. Bulgaria, newly formed and seeking to establish its place in Europe, attracted travelers interested in its rich history and unspoiled nature. The photograph highlights cultural dynamics of the period: it’s a window onto how the emerging Balkan state was seen through Western eyes. Institutions like travel agencies and photographic studios played a role in shaping these perceptions. Was the image meant as a private memento, or as a way to construct a self-consciously modern identity? To fully understand this photograph, further research into the Wachenheimers, their travel routes, and the broader context of Bulgarian tourism in the 1920s would be invaluable. Archives of travel agencies and personal letters might reveal even more about this intriguing image.