Collection of early 20th century Bavarian postcards
A private collection of over five hundred postcards sent from Murnau and Staffelsee will be on view in Murnau’s Schloss Museum until March 5. Not only do these document the history of the postcard and the postal service, but they also provide insight into life in the Bavarian countryside in the second half of the 19th century, bearing humorous, even bawdy messages, in which local festivals are recorded. The market town of Murnau began its career as a spa town in 1868. The first postcards were sent just a year later. A host of hand-colored and hand-painted cards were followed by the first picture postcards in 1885 which did much to increase the popularity of the region. The earliest printed black-and-white cards gave way to chromolithographs around 1889, from which the famous “Greetings from . . .” series —postcards that give the fascinating exhibition its name — dates. One 1920s postcard was accompanied by a playable gramophone record; another one, specially created for soldiers, with a preprinted space for the regimental address, depicts soldiers and bears the slogan: “now let’s give them a thrashing!” Saucy cards from the late 1920s and 1930s reveal how popular bathing had become in the area. One postcard,replete with a pull tab, reveals an undressed lady in a changing cabin — an example of the semi-erotic, and humorous cards sent from Murnau. Many of the postcards served to illustrate the beauty of this Bavarian idyll, where the magnificent Wetterstein massif, culminating in the Zugspitze — Germany’s highest peak at 2,962 meters — forms the backdrop of the Murnau moor, the largest in Central Europe. It was this beauty that attracted such avant-guarde artists as Alexei von Jawlensky, Marianne von Werefkin, Franz Marc, August Macke, Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky — all members of the Blue Rider — to the area in the early 20th century. Two postcards in the exhibition bear witness to their presence there — one from Marc to Kandinsky, another from Paul Klee to Gabriele Münter. A full catalog of items is available. Schloss Murnau, which houses the museum, stands in the middle of the town. The original building dates from the Middle Ages, when Ludwig the Bavarian gave it to the monks of Ettal, who had administered it until the secularization in the early 19th century, whereupon it was used as a school. After having been refurbished, the building was opened as a museum in 1993. The museum’s first floor is devoted to the history of the Murnau moor and its effect on the life and economy of the region. On the second floor, the Udo Dammert collection of reverse-glass painting is displayed such that local and other European examples are juxtaposed for comparison beside their Asian counterparts. Members of the Blue Rider were intrigued by this method of painting: an example by Marc is included in the exhibit. The museum houses a permanent exhibition of works by the Blue Rider artists, with special emphasis on Münter’s life and work. The section devoted to her artistic development, from 1902 to 1958 consists of 38 paintings and 28 drawings and prints. Background music by composer Arnold Schönberg — he was a frequent visitor to Münter’s house — provides atmosphere in the Blue Rider room. Known as the “Russian House” by locals, Münter’s home of 40 years was recently restored and reopened to the public in 1999. Murnau Schloss Museum, Murnau am Staffelsee, Tel. (08841) 47 62 01. Hours: Tue.–Sun. 10-17, closed Mondays. By train: hourly connections to and from Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. By car: B2 or Autobahn A95 Munich – Garmisch-Partenkirchen. <<<