Beschreibung:

Album with twenty photographs documenting the visit of Emperor Wilhelm II to Jerusalem in 1898, by photographers of the "American Colony". [Jerusalem, October 1898]. Most of the photographs are signed in the plate. Photographs include: a photograph of the emperor and his entourage, mounted, passing through one of the portable gates of honor erected for the visit; photographs of the tent camp of the emperor and his entourage on HaNevi'im Street (including a photograph of the emperor, on horse, beside a Turkish honor guard at the camp's exit); photograph at the entrance to the Dome of the Rock; photograph of the emperor and his spouse at the head of a procession heading out of the Church of the Redeemer; photographs from a procession down Jaffa Street; photograph from a visit to the Tombs of the Kings; group photograph showing, among others, Theodor Herzl; and more. Most of the photographs were taken by photographers of the "American Colony" in Jerusalem, and most are signed in the plate: "American Colony, Jerusalem" [apparently, they were taken by Elijah Meyers and Frederick Vester]. The visit of the emperor to Palestine was the first event to be documented by the "American Colony" photographers in an organized manner and with commercial intent, marking the beginnings of the photography department of the "American Colony". The photographs are mounted on leaves of an album bound in a fine olive-wood binding (with a carved decoration of the Dome of the Rock). At the end of the album are eight additional photographs by "American Colony" photographers: a view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, Damascus Gate, Jaffa Gate, a view of the Temple Mount, Jaffa Port, and more (signed and titled in the plate). In the course of October-November 1898 the German Emperor Wilhelm II visited the cities of the Ottoman Empire - Beirut, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Haifa and Jaffa. This journey, whose main goals were strengthening Ottoman rule and supporting the status of the Protestant Church, is considered one of the central and most important events in the history of Palestine in the 19th century. Preparations for the emperor's visit to Palestine already began in the summer of 1898, including major renovations and cleaning operations, installing a new telegraph line, and more. In anticipation of the emperor's arrival in Jerusalem a number of roads in the city were widened, and an opening in the wall was even cut near Jaffa Gate, to allow the emperor's carriage to pass. In addition, the city's streets, particularly in the area surrounding HaNevi'im Street (where a tent camp of the emperor and his entourage was to be pitched), were decorated with the flags of Germany and the Ottoman Empire and with portable gates of honor. During his visit to Jerusalem, culminating in the ceremonial dedication of the Church of the Redeemer, the emperor also visited the German Colony, the Mount of Olives, the Christian Quarter, the Municipality, and other places, and, among other things, met with Theodor Herzl. He toured the city with his spouse (Empress Augusta Victoria), without a major entourage, on horse or by carriage, followed by processions of persons of lesser rank and accompanied by mounted regiments and Kawas guards (Ottoman guards). Many tourists arrived in Jerusalem ahead of the visit, renting spots on roofs and balconies on streets where the processions were to pass. Total of 28 photographs, approx. 11X15 cm, mounted on album leaves. Album: 13.5X19 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains. Most of the photographs are faded. Tissue guards between some of the album leaves (dark, stained and torn). Some of the tissue guards are detached. Tears and defects to album binding. binding detached. Handwritten inscription (Arabic) on the first (blank) leaf of the album.