Capturing Life Through Imagery
One of the largest private photograph archives on German history 1900–1950 — 8,808 images online.
What would you like to do?
Explore
Browse curated sample images and get to know the archive — free and without registration.
Research
Search the collections by place, unit and topic — every image is described and indexed.
Use images
High-res downloads with a membership, individual purchase of digital images, or a licence for your publication.
About the archive
Our archive contains around 255,000 photographs, including over 5,688 colour slides from the period 1938 to 1945, as well as around 50 hours of historical film footage. The collection is supplemented by detailed war diaries and rare photos from the years 1914 to 1945 and the colonial period. The archive focuses on German history from the colonial period until shortly after the Second World War. Our holdings of photos and documentation from this period are continually being digitised and expanded.
A glimpse into the collections
More sample images in the archive preview →
How it works
1
Trial access for €1
Explore the archive for 7 days and browse the web galleries.
2
Research & discover
Search by place, unit or topic – every image is described and indexed.
3
High-res with Basic or Pro
Download high-resolution images without watermarks – for research, publication and teaching.
The image descriptions are generated with AI assistance and continuously reviewed by specialists — we explain how this works on About the Cataloguing.
We help you with your research
If you need help with a historical picture or film research, we are here for you. Please contact us using the form below.
PHILOSOPHY
AURIS MEDIA Verlag GmbH is a Remscheid-based company specialising in the combination of state-of-the-art technology and historical heritage. We have the world’s largest stock of private photographs from the years 1900 to 1950.
Originally focused on the restoration and enhancement of historical photographs, today we digitise and catalogue the entire collection to make it accessible to research, education and the public. More about the publishing house: auris-verlag.com.