Help finding a missing relative from a photo

[schenkenator]

Hello,

i was hoping someone would be able to recognize the men in this photo.  they would have been from Denmark but the photo was taken in Oldenburg Germany around 1914.  i really do not have a lot of information to give.  this is a last ditch effort to hopefully recognize these people.

One of them is my Great-grandfather. We only know that he is the supposed father of my Grandfather and that he was a "businessman". from Denmark.

I am using a lot of DNA research through various websites to try and narrow down that side of my family.  i have some very rough ideas as to surnames but they are just really strong guesses at this point.

Thank you in advance for the information.

[K. Thidemann]

Har du ikke nogle informationer om hvor og hvornår din bedstefar er født,
I Danmark ❓

[schenkenator]

No, unfortunately.  I am only posting in hopes someone will recognize any of the men from the photo. 

[Lennarth Nielsen]

hi Schenkenator,

I can see that this is your first thread, so welcome to the forum:) I think you should be more than lucky, if someone recognises those people, but not impossible of course. Your chances will be a lot better, if you can investigate in your ancestors and find the name of your great-grandfather and also where he was born and where he lived through his life - he has probably moved around a bit. With that information you can ask some of the local history archives, if they have other pictures of him to compare with. You can find the entrance to the local archives here, where you can click on the map of Denmark and get the contact information for a specific archive:
http://arkibas.dk/arkivvejviser/

There's also a homepage with a lot of pictures provided by the archives. Again, if you have a name you can search for that. Here's the link:
https://arkiv.dk

Good hunting and have a nice day.

Kind regards,

Lennarth

[Inger Toudal]

Where and when were your grandfather born?

You don't have to mention his name, but it would give some idea where to look for your great-grandfather.

Venlig hilsen
Inger Toudal

[schenkenator]

Thanks for the interest from everyone so far. I appreciate everyones suggestions.

Yes i absolutely know this is a near to impossible chance to recognize anyone from this photo.  i have done quite a bit of research leading up to this moment.  This is hopefully a last bit of luck.

There is nothing more than just absolute sheer curiosity that i search for this person. Technically, he holds the key to what my "real" surname would be if i were to maintain a true Paternal line.  My last name Schenke is my Great-grandmothers name.  So its just my curiosity getting the best of me.

One of the men in the Photo is supposed to be my Great-grandfather.  From what i can remember its the man on the right, NOT holding the camera.  I do place him visiting or living in Oldenburg Germany around 1914.  My grandfather was August Walter Schenke b. 15 July 1915. i have his birth certificate with no mention of a father.  my Great Grandmother was Emmi Louise Sophie Schenke born 1877 and lived most of her life in Börstel, Osnabrück.  it was she that mentioned the man was from Denmark or Sweden.  It seems Emmi moved to Oldenburg just before meeting my missing Great-Grandfather and stayed there until about 1939 when she moved back to Berge/Böerstel.

Best,

Peter

[schenkenator]

Also, thank you for tolerating my English.  I can imagine your English is 100% better than my Danish.

[schenkenator]

is there anything about the clothes of the men that can provide clues?  from what i can tell he has a small bouquet in his lapel?  anything about the camera that stands out? can anyone tell if it is German or made elsewhere?

[grethe jensen]

Hi,
Have you tried to post the photo in Germany? It might be easier to identify the "other" man and then via him identify his friend, collega or relative.
Succes, never give up! GJ

[Lennarth Nielsen]

hi Peter,

you're welcome. Yes, it can be very tricky or sometimes impossible, when the father isn't mentioned. Have you tried searching for any filed paternity records? I suppose your grandfather August was born in Germany, so maybe you can find a record there. I can see that the Danish paternity records also include German people, but it seems from the description that it's only if the father is German - probably worth investigating anyway. Here's a link to a description about paternity records in Danish:
https://www.sa.dk/da/hjaelp-og-vejledning/rigsarkivets-online-vejledninger/faderskabssager-kom-godt-gang/

And about the clothing and the camera and so on I can't help you out. Looking at the picture my guess would also be that it's from the 1910s or 20s. I guess there's a homepage or a museum, which can give you some extra information on clothing and camaras through time.

Kind regards,

Lennarth

[Lennarth Nielsen]

hi again,

it crossed my mind that I once had three persons identified on a picture by tracking down the photographer and was lucky that there was a name list. I can't see the very bottom of your picture, but is there a name of the photographer stamped or written below? And maybe a number written on the reverse? In rare cases this might lead to some names. In my case I even had the exact date of when the picture was taken in 1892.

Lennarth

[Jakob Ramlau]

Concerning the camera: German optical industry reigned supreme in the 1880 -- 90`ties. When I magnify the picture I seem to notice a black ball under the mans elbow.
But the resolution is not good enough to read ther name of the optical firm on the lensring. The bellow stops in front of a boxlike structure. This structure probably contains the cassette mechanism for the 9 x 12 cm glassplates. The ball (if it is a ball?) actuates the shutter. The low sensitivity of the emulsion on the glassplates required long exposure times. Even on modern shutters you will notice the "B" and "T": B for ball, the shutter stays open as long as you compress the ball/pull the trigger. And T for time: one press opens the shutter, the next press closes it.
So the camera belongs to rather an early period. The tube from the ball permits a shakefree exposure with the camera solidly mounted on a tripod.
There seems to be a number of sites on antique cameras.
I am not an expert on men´s fashion. I would concentrate on the hats. Hat brims changed very often------------   

[Grethe Leerbech]

Concerning the clothes. They are between 1910 to 1914. at that time men had lose upright stiff collars- also at the end of the sleeves - and they were high ones. About 1914 the collars started to be bend and double--but still loose - not upright, single. The trousers were slim and short - in old pictures one often think they were too short - and with turn up or cuffs, so one could see either their boots or their gaiters (white ones) . If they carried shoes they always carried gaiters. The dress always had a waist. Also the single button system was mode at that time,  In 1911 and 12 the butterfly or loop was highest mode.  The mode is often called the Edwardian style.
When the War I began the time and possibilities to press and wash the lose collars and also the trousers - which in fact should have a sharp fold in front - disappeared, and the Edwardian man became more  relaxed in the dress ex. did the waist went off mode at that time .

But that doesn't help you finding your grnd-grand father. God hunt

Grethe

[Søren Agersnap]

Er dette indlæg ikke fejlanbragt? Det burde høre hjemme under kategorien "Find your relatives in Denmark".

[Cay-Erik Geipel]

Your grandfather seems to have lived in Germany all the time until he Fell in ww2 at the 12.1.1944 - source Ancestry with a lot more information from Peter Schenke - is it you ?
Your question belongs to Germany not here in the danish forum

[Lennarth Nielsen]

hi Peter,

I've been in contact with a very experienced and knowledgeable person hosting the homepage here with antique cameras:
http://www.kamerasamlingen.dk/default.htm

Information received from him freely translated by me:
Despite some investigations it hasn't been possible to determine exactly which camera is shown on the photo. It's a plate camera in the format 9 x 12 centimetres with pneumatic shutter release (the camera is released with a rubber ball, which is also seen on the picture). The camera is probably from around 1900-1910 and it's also very likely that the camera is of German origin. At  the time there were a lot of camera factories, where each one of them had a selection of this type of camera, so the possibilities of which type of camera it is are many.

This answer a least confirms that the camera is from around the period, where you believe this picture is taken.

About the category for this post I agree with Søren Agersnap that it should've been placed in Find Your Relatives in Denmark. I think it's still relevant to keep the thread in the Danish forum as both persons on the photo are supposed to be Danish. Creating a new post on a German forum wouldn't harm as the picture was taken in Germany and there are relations to Germany.

Have a nice day.

Kind regards,

Lennarth