'Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges'
a German Serial History Magazine
binder covers of 'Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges', a German serial history magazine
'Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges' was a German serial history publication much like the British and French publications 'The Great War' and 'Panorama de la Guerre'. Each week an issue devoted to more or less recent war news was sold, which afterwards could be bound together to form a handsome set of volumes, the purchase of which at one time would otherwise have been far too expensive for most households. In this case, at the war's end the 'Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges' came to 8 volumes of some 500 pages each, all profusely illustrated with photographs, drawings, paintings and illustrations. Needless to say, depending upon the publisher's nationality, subjects of interest to that country were given prominent treatment, so that in the end it is sometimes difficult to decide at what point such publications cease to be history magazines and become propaganda.
For all their failings to adhere to strictly defined notions of impartiality, the illustrative contents of such magazines are interesting indeed and contain many striking and otherwise difficult to find illustrations and photographs.