Rare postcard - Herzl meets the German Kaiser. 1898

13.5x8 cm. Excellent condition

The ...

Rare postcard - Herzl meets the German Kaiser. 1898

13.5x8 cm. Excellent condition

The picture of Herzl's meeting with the German Kaiser is a photomontage picture, created to commemorate Herzl's meeting with the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, which took place near Mikveh Israel on October 28, 1898, during the Kaiser's journey to Israel. The meeting was initiated by Herzl, as part of his political activities towards the end of the 19th century, with the intention of motivating the Kaiser to exercise his influence over the Turkish sultan - with the aim that the latter would grant the long-awaited charter for the establishment of a Jewish state.

Creation of the photo

In order to commemorate the meeting between Herzl and the Kaiser, David Wolfson was asked to photograph the two. Wolfson, who was not a professional photographer, was moved by magnitude of the historic event, and therefore could not capture in one picture both the Kaiser and Herzl. The picture he received was of the Kaiser sitting on a white horse, looking at the tip of Herzl's leg. Most of Herzl's own figure is not in the picture.

With the development of the photograph, the fault was discovered, so it was decided to use the photomontage technique to create a better image. For the sake of interest, Herzl was taken to Jaffa, and photographed on the roof of one of the houses there, holding his hat in his hand (in a sort of gesture of respect). Wolfson connected the two images by "planting" Herzl's image in the original image, transferring the emperor to the black horse that was behind him, and almost completely cutting the white horse from the image. The processed image is the image that was later released as a commemoration of the festive event.