Summary

Creator:

Peetz, Friedrich Carl

Abstract:

The collection comprises a photograph album containing 127 black-and-white photographs (several are hand tinted; most are 4 1/2 x 6 inches) mounted on 22 boards. The album probably belonged to Friedrich Carl Peetz, most likely an officer in the German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) and crew member of the S.M.S. Hertha during the Boxer Rebellion in China, 1900. The images were mostly taken in Tsingtao (Qingdao), Chefoo (Yantai), Hong Kong, Peking (Beijing), and Shanhaiguan. The photographs document the German involvement in the Rebellion and primarily depict damage to the Taku Forts, German ships (all are identified) and crew, and temples and other historic sites visited by the Germans in Beijing and in other locales in China. Photographs have German captions written in pencil.

Extent:

1 Linear Foot
1 volume
127 photographs

Language:

Materials in German
Most of the original German captions are written in pencil and many are illegible. In a few cases the image titles in this collection guide and in the digital collection were transcribed directly from the German captions, but in most cases English image titles were supplied by library staff after examining the German captions and conducting some additional background research. The digital collection, available online, offers German, English, and Chinese captions.

Collection ID:

RL.01007

Background

Scope and Content:

Collection comprises a photograph album with 127 black-and-white photographs (several are hand tinted; most are 4.5 x 6 in.) mounted on 22 boards. The album probably belonged to Friedrich Carl Peetz, most likely an officer in the German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) and crew member of the S.M.S. Hertha during the Boxer Rebellion in China. The images were mostly taken in Tsingtao (Qingdao), Chefoo (Yantai), Hong Kong, Peking (Beijing), and Shanhaiguan; there are also two photographs taken in Colombo, Sri Lanka of the Mount Lavinia Hotel and a breakwater.

The photographs document the German involvement in the Rebellion and primarily depict damage to the Taku Forts, German ships (almost all identified) and crews, Russian and Italian ships, and temples and other historic buildings visited by the Germans in Beijing and other locales in China. Photographs have German captions written in pencil.

Biographical / Historical:

Friedrich Carl Peetz was most likely a German Naval officer and crew member of the S.M.S. Hertha (part of the German East Asia Squadron) during the German involvement in the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900.

Acquisition Information:

The Friedrich Carl Peetz photograph album of China was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2008.

Processing information:

Processed by: Alice Poffinberger, February 2010

Encoded by: Noah Huffman, February 2010

Accession(s) described in this finding aid: 2008-0289

Rules or Conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related

Related Material:

Related collection: Guide to the Roundell Tristram Toke diaries and photographs from military service in China and Japan, 1900-1907, Rubenstein Library, Duke University.

Related collection: Guide to the Henry Coullaud photograph albums of China, 1900-1901, Rubenstein Library, Duke University.

Alternative Form Available:

This photograph album has been digitized and is available online in the Duke Digital Repository.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.

Subjects:

Documentary Photography -- China

Formats:

Black-and-white photographs
Photograph albums

Names:

Hertha (Cruiser)
Germany. Kriegsmarine -- History
Peetz, Friedrich Carl

Places:

Germany -- History, Naval
China -- Description and travel -- 18th Century
China -- Foreign relations -- Germany
China -- History -- Boxer Rebellion, 1899-1901
China -- Photographs
Germany -- Foreign relations -- China