Richard Kuba and Jennifer Markwirth are responsible for the scientific and archival management of the photo archive. For inquiries regarding photo usage, research, or legacies, please contact Richard Kuba. For questions regarding archiving, conservation, and digitization, Jennifer Markwirth is your direct contact.
The photo archive consists mainly of historical negatives on glass and film, ranging in size from 35 mm to 13x18 cm, which were taken by participants of the institute's various research expeditions from 1904 to the 1980s. The total number of historical photographs exceeds 60,000, of which the majority were taken in Africa. The remaining photographs were taken on expeditions to Australia, Oceania, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Part of the early photo prints and the first catalogues were destroyed during World War II. Until the advent of digital indexing, 100 photo catalogues, which were reconstructed after the war or newly created for more recent trips, were the most important basis for research in the photo archive. Today, the photo archive can be viewed via the Frobenius Institute's online image database, although most of the images are still scans of the prints from the catalogues. Comprehensive digitization for preservation purposes and the associated provision of usable digital copies of our historical photographs is to be implemented in a structured manner starting in 2026.
Included in the photo archive is a slide library that was originally created for teaching purposes. In addition to slides made from old expedition negatives or other templates, it also contains original photographs from research expeditions dating back to the 1950s. The focus is on photographs from Ethiopia, but there are also images from North Africa, West Africa, South America, New Guinea, and India. Part of the slide library is also accessible via the online image database.
In addition, there are collections from donations and legacies, as well as around 4,000 vintage prints of various sizes, some of which are mounted in passe-partouts. However, these were assigned to the Ethnographic Image Archive or the Rock Art Archive at an early stage. They can also be viewed via the online image database and are well catalogued.
Information concerning picture order
