Girl with Headscarf and Flowers - 1942


This lovely image of a girl in a polka dot headscarf holding a bunch of flowers - Mädchen mit Kopftuch und Blumenstrauss - seems to fit perfectly with the arrival of spring! It was printed in Germany by Verlag Carl Werner, a publishing house based in Reichenbach im Vogtland, a town in Saxony, the heartland of European postcard production.

Whilst Werner often published images of children taken by the famous photographer Lotte Herrlich the other examples I've seen have always been artist-signed and in black and white – this postcard bears no indication as to who took the image, so I assume it was an in-house or unnamed freelance photograph instead. During the Second World War, Carl Werner published far more sinister postcards and helped the German war effort, issuing propaganda cards with captions in the language of the intended foreign audience.

I bought this postcard a while ago in a second hand shop in Rome. I was immediately attracted to the image and admit that I had bearly glanced at the writing on the reverse of the card at the time of buying it. In fact, it wasn't until I returned home and inspected it more carefully when I noticed that the date handwritten on the back of this uncirculated card was 26 April, 1942 – my father's date of birth! Spooky, eh?


Find more vintage postcards over at Beth's postcard blog The Best Hearts are Crunchy and join other collectors on Postcard Friendship Friday.

Postcard Friendship Friday

Comments

Christine H. said…
It's lovely. The date makes it even morespecial.
Snap said…
Wow! The date really puts the icing on the cake, doesn't it?!!! Happy PFF!
That one is wonderful, I love the little girl!
MuseSwings said…
Pretty card! I love the birthdate match with your father's!
Postcardy said…
That's a pretty card. What a coincidence that the date matches your father's birthdate.
Beth Niquette said…
How sweet she is! She reminds me of pictures my Mom has of my brothers and sisters and me.

I just adore this postcard!

Happy PFF!
It's a very attractive card and a very natural-looking little girl. I like it very much.
Joy said…
Given the year it did remind me of the film reels of blonde little girls giving flowers to Hitler. I love the coincidence of the date.
Bella Foxx said…
Beautiful card, happy PFF!
steviewren said…
Beautiful card! Whoever the photographer was he/she took a winner when this photo was shot.
Mary said…
A beautiful child! And I always think there are no coincidences. Happy spring!
Lyneen said…
SWEET SPRING CARD... thanks for stopping by. PFF
Flowers said…
You have posted awesome picture of cutie, holding a beautiful bunch of flowers.