Fragments of history: interesting and rare retro photos of Europe (21 photos)

The color photo erases the boundaries and it seems that all the action in the frame is happening now, and not 100 years ago.





Cleaning fish in an Icelandic port, 1948.

Now this hellish work is done by migrant workers in fish factories in Iceland and Norway.



Street cheese vendor. Paris, France, 1938.

A vendor slices Emmental cheese.





Gasoline shortage in the Netherlands, 1941.

Any technology without energy resources turns into a "pumpkin".



France, 1910.

Unusual entertainment for children in times without the Internet and TV.



Icelandic man on horseback, 1900.

Horses were brought to Iceland at the end of the 9th century by Viking settlers from Scandinavia and the British Isles.

This breed is quite small in stature, but strong and very hardy.



Polish "latniki" - an assault squad for suppressing riots. Poland, 1939.

Yes, the uniform looks awkward. But in fact, it is a bulletproof vest from head to knees. It can protect against stones, sticks and the same firearms.



Avenue des Acacias, Paris, 1911.

The amount of animal skins on the lady with the dogs is astonishing.



A seller of cannabis seedlings on his boat. Oosterburgergracht Canal, Amsterdam, 1971.



A sponge merchant. Austria-Hungary, 1904.

Natural sponges have been harvested from the sea or made from luffa (African pumpkin) since ancient times. A man sells sea sponges.



An evidence room at a police station. Paris, 1954.

Someone's suitcase is being sorted out. Forgotten, abandoned or lost at the train station... The laundry tag may still be on the underwear. Or even the owner's contact information.



Hairstyling competition in Munich. Germany, May 1, 1964.

The winners of the hairdressing competition are pictured.



Girls show off their swimsuits. Naples, Italy, 1948.

In those years, armpits were not shaved and there was no complex, today it looks strange.



Chamonix, France, 1920.

Looks like skijoring (from the Norwegian skikjoring "to pull skis"). Skijoring is when a skier moves freestyle behind a dog, horse, motorcycle or motor vehicle.



Caught a taxi. Berlin, 1920s.



A family of bagel sellers. Warsaw, Poland, 1938.



A wrecked Citroen, Paris riots, May 1968

The "Red May" was a social crisis in France that began with left-wing student protests and resulted in demonstrations, riots, and a general strike of nearly 10 million people.



Visiting quarantined relatives and friends at Ullevål Hospital. Norway, Oslo, 1905

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, diphtheria epidemics raged in Europe. The mortality rate reached 50%. In the picture, women visit hospitalized relatives in the hospital.



Five British models relax on a yacht off the Cote d'Azur, 1955.

In 1955, the English photo magazine Picture Post sent five models on a cruise around France to advertise the new British summer fashion.



A woman on an Indian motorcycle with a sidecar in Paris, 1919.

Motorcycles of the American brand Indian were very popular in the early 20th century, their first motorcycle rolled off the assembly line in 1901.



Classes at the Emile Jaques-Dalcroze Institute of Music and Rhythm. Hellerau, Germany, 1912.

The institute opened in 1911 near Dresden. Emile Jaques-Dalcroze had his own unusual method for teaching children and teachers, which made him famous.

Artist Vasily Polenov compared Dalcroze's method to "transfusing musical sounds into movement"