Time Travel through Traunstein – Tours, Exhibitions & Workshops on Historical Photos (Preview)

Introduction: When old photos sharpen the view of the future cityscape

In the coming months, several formats are expected to emerge in Traunstein that directly juxtapose historical photographs and current city views. Such "Then–Now" comparisons are more than nostalgia: they help to perceive building culture and everyday spaces more consciously, to classify changes, and to conduct more informed discussions about urban space.

The focus is on easily accessible places where change can be clearly seen – from Maxplatz to Jacklturm to the railway viaduct. In addition, workshop and online elements are conceivable so that participants can properly document and fairly publish their own comparison images.

Program Overview: Formats that will soon be possible

• Guided "Time Jump" Tours: City walks with image pairs (historical/current), brief methodological notes, and time to compare on site.
• Photo Exhibitions in Public Spaces: Outdoor displays at busy locations as well as a supplementary presentation with large-format juxtapositions and traceable image credits.
• Participatory Workshops: Practice on perspective, focal length, image comparison, metadata, and source citation; suitable for smartphone and camera.
• Digital Activities: Planned submissions of comparison images, curated online galleries, and thematic photo challenges (e.g., "Maxplatz then/now").
• Lectures & Discussion Rounds: Short inputs from experts (e.g., archiving, local history, photography, monument preservation) with moderated discussion on sources, image ethics, and urban development.

So that participants do not just create "nice pictures" but comprehensible comparisons, all formats should ideally provide clear rules on sources, licenses, and image captions.

Possible Stops of Future Tours: Motifs & Questions

• Maxplatz: Sequences of facades, lines of sight, market and traffic space in transition.
• Jacklturm: Silhouette, sightlines, typical postcard perspectives, and changes in the surroundings.
• St. Oswald Parish Church: Church square situations, tower and roof shapes, cityscape-defining perspectives.
• Scheibenstraße & Bahnhofstraße: Everyday photography, shop fronts, mobility, and street space (parking, guidance, quality of stay).
• Railway Viaduct: Technology and city panorama motif with distant references; suitable for understanding image sections and viewing directions of historical shots.

Good tours not only explain what has changed, but also why photos sometimes look "different": eye level, focal length, cropping, retouching, perspective conventions of early postcards, and the question of whether a location was accessible at the time.

Get Involved: Preparation for Upcoming Tours, Workshops, and Online Activities

1. Select a motif: Choose a specific motif (e.g., Maxplatz, Jacklturm, St. Oswald, Scheibenstraße, railway viaduct) that you can safely reach.
2. Secure the source: Save the permalink to the image source and note all available information: date (or dating), photographer/publisher, institution, signature/collection, license notes.
3. Find the viewpoint responsibly: Look for the historical camera position or a safe, nearby alternative. Safety takes precedence over accuracy.
4. Document the new shot: Note the date/time of the new shot, approximate location, viewing direction, device model, and (if possible) focal length or smartphone focal length equivalent.
5. Label the comparison: Create a short caption that transparently states the source of the historical photo, the key data of your new shot, and recognizable deviations.

This creates a comparison that can still be verified later – and thus serves as a "source image of tomorrow."

Practical Guide for Re-Photos: Quality, Traceability, Fair Use

Recommended Equipment

• Smartphone or camera (compact camera is sufficient), optional small tripod
• Historical motif as printout or offline screenshot (including source information)
• Note app for metadata (location, viewing direction, date, special features)

Technical Tips for Meaningful Juxtapositions

• Keep eye level stable: Even a few meters or a different eye level significantly change facade lines and size ratios.
• Control verticals: Align as straight as possible; slight perspective correction is okay as long as you use it sparingly and the image comparison remains fair.
• Prefer a bit more context: A minimally larger image section makes later assignment easier and explains changes in the surroundings.
• Make deviations transparent: If a location is not accessible, describe the alternative (e.g., "position shifted by a few meters for safety reasons").

Rights, Licenses & Responsible Publication

Even historical images can be protected by copyright or usage rights. Before publishing (e.g., exhibition, website, social media), check whether and how you may use the historical photo, which license conditions apply, and which source information is required. For your own new shots, personal rights (identifiable persons) and property rights on private property may also be relevant. If you are unsure, use only clearly licensed collections or ask the respective institution about the terms of use.

Accessibility, Safety, and Practical Notes for Future Dates

• Accessibility: When registering, pay attention to information on route lengths, surface, inclines, seating breaks, and barrier-free alternative routes.
• Safety in street space: Only photograph from safe positions. Do not enter roadways or track areas for "the perfect angle."
• Weather & planning: Outdoor formats depend on the weather; suitable clothing and rain protection for devices increase the chance of good comparison shots.
• Respectful use of places: Especially at churches, monuments, and quiet areas: no disruptive setups, observe on-site instructions.

Why Such Formats Make Sense: Benefits for Traunstein

• Understanding the city: Image comparisons show lines of development and make building culture visible in everyday life.
• Participation: Citizens can contribute their own images, memories, and local knowledge – with proper documentation, it becomes usable in the long term.
• Networking: Cooperation between archives, museums, schools, and associations strengthens local history work and media literacy.
• Documentation: New comparison shots are a future source that captures today's perspectives.

Digital Support: How Submissions Remain Findable and Verifiable

If future activities are digitally accompanied, a uniform structure improves quality: consistent image titles, clear source information, permalinks to archives, as well as short explanatory texts on the location and shooting situation. This reduces confusion (e.g., with similar viewing directions) and makes contributions usable in the long term – even outside of a short-term social media campaign.

Research Sites for Historical Photos and Data on Traunstein

1. bavarikon – Search "Traunstein" — Bavaria's culture portal, historical photos and postcards (accessed 2026-06-03)
2. Bavarian State Library – Digital Collections — Image and map holdings, online research (accessed 2026-06-03)
3. German Digital Library — Meta-search across museums and archives, permalinks and object pages (accessed 2026-06-03)
4. Archivportal‑D — Cross-archive research on holdings and finding aids (accessed 2026-06-03)
5. Monument Atlas Bavaria (BLfD) — Monument data and classification on building and usage history (accessed 2026-06-03)
6. German National Library – Catalog entry: ISBN 978‑3‑95400‑040‑1 ("Zeitsprünge Traunstein") — Bibliographic reference as a starting point for further literature (accessed 2026-06-03)

Please note: Each historical image is subject to the license and usage conditions of the respective institution. Pay attention to required copyright and source notices.