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

Dive into Europe's past! This collection features rare black-and-white photographs from the 20th century, brought to life with modern colorization. Each frame feels like a time machine, transporting us to an era where we can see how people lived and enjoyed themselves across Europe.





East Germany, 1950s.



Photographer: Ludwig Schirmer

Stowaways. Madrid, 1934.





Lovers under an umbrella. Budapest, Hungary, 1977.



Aero Beach in Le Touquet, France, 1933.



Photographer: Lucien Aigner

Oil Crisis. Germany, 1973.



The crisis began in October 1973, when the member countries of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led by the Arab states, declared an oil embargo against the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, and other countries that supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War (also known as the October War) between Israel and a coalition of Arab states (Egypt and Syria). The consequences for these countries included a sharp rise in fuel prices; long lines at gas stations in the United States and Europe; the introduction of gasoline rationing and odd/even days for filling up. An economic downturn ensued: industry slowed, inflation soared, and unemployment rose.

Barcelona, ​​1955.



Photographer: Ramon Masat

Eruption of Vesuvius. Italy, 1944.



Photographer: George Roger

In March 1944, Mount Vesuvius, located near Naples, erupted again after a period of relative calm. It was one of the most destructive eruptions of the 20th century and the last major eruption of this volcano to date.

Rooftop of the "Latin Quarter." Paris, 1926.



Photographer: André Kertész.

Telephone booth. Paris, 1982.



Photographer: Gilles Caron

US Air Force personnel celebrate Oktoberfest in Neubiberg, Germany, 1957.



Oktoberfest is the most famous beer festival in the world, held annually in Munich, Germany. Despite its name, it begins not in October, but on the last Saturday of September and lasts until the first Sunday in October. Unfortunately, the festivities have varied greatly over the decades.

Met at work. A family of chimney sweeps. Brussels, 1955.



Photographer: Harry Kerr

From the source: Antoine Bechils, 63, of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Brussels, and his wife, Marie, kiss on the roof while cleaning their chimneys. "She's a fantastic woman," says Antoine. "She knows how to make a man happy, and she has everything she needs to do it."

Weightlifting competition. Vincennes, France, 1914.



Vineyards, Albugnano, Piedmont, Italy, 1959.



The vineyards of Italy are a living mosaic of hills, terraces, and sunny slopes, stretching from the Alps in the north to Cape Lecce in the south. Italy is one of the oldest and largest wine-producing countries in the world, leading in wine production volume and variety diversity. Italy is divided into 20 wine regions, each with its own character. Grape cultivation in Italy dates back over 3,000 years. Even the Etruscans and Romans valued wine as part of everyday life, religion, and medicine.

At the market. Crete, Greece. 1967.



Mills. Netherlands, 1950s.



Windmills are an integral part of the Dutch landscape and culture. For centuries, these wooden giants with enormous wings have symbolized the Dutch people's struggle with water, their ingenuity, and their ability to transform swamps into flourishing fields. The Netherlands is located below sea level—up to 40% of the country was once covered by water. To drain the land and protect it from flooding, the Dutch began building watermills and windmills as early as the 16th century, pumping water from low-lying areas (polders) into canals and rivers.

Easter Bunny in Unterzeen, 1957.



Two elderly men on the floor of the Toy Railway Society building. One adjusts a socket with a small hammer, the other repairs a steam locomotive engine. Berlin, Germany, 1931.



Photographer: Alfred Eisenstaedt

Nineteen years later, the famous PIKO railway would appear – the dream of many Soviet boys and even adults. This toy railway, with its moving locomotive, carriages, and miniature tracks, captured the imagination. This engineering marvel was manufactured in the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

The Stanievsky Circus on tour in Krakow, 1934.



On the site of today's Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Old Warsaw, on the corner of Ordynacka and Okulnik Streets, stood the Staniewski Circus, one of the city's most beloved entertainment venues. It was an eight-story building with a grand auditorium seating 3,000 people, where a vibrant scene flourished: clowns, acrobats, wrestlers, bearded women, and equilibrists performed. The circus's crowning glory was its water arena: at a signal from the machinery, the hall would fill with water, and boat races, water shows, and simulated naval battles would begin before the spectators' eyes. The circus opened in 1882 and remains a cult attraction for Warsaw residents. People flocked there not only for the circus acts but also for the high-profile wrestling matches—for example, between Grokhovenko and Shcheker, where bets were accepted and a thrilling atmosphere reigned. It all ended in September 1939: during the bombing of Warsaw, the Luftwaffe shelled this massive structure with particular ferocity, and not a trace remained of the circus.

Venice, 1966.



Photographer: Gianni Berengo Gardin

Yes, it can be like that. Venice is built on a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea, where hundreds of small islands have emerged from the marshy shallows between the Po and Piave rivers. This unique ecosystem of brackish water, silt flats, and semi-submerged areas has become the cradle of one of the most amazing cities in the world. In fact, it seems as if all the most beautiful cities and countries in the world were built on swamps.

Girls relaxing on the beach. Germany, Cranz, 1937.