"Death Cards from Mannheim"
I bought a box of little images on ebay (sent from a seller in Mannheim, view on google maps). They were largely small cards with a Jesus image in the front and a sort of death notice on the back. They all seem to be from a family or family members some of which are directly from Mannheim, some from surrounding cities. These kinds of cards are still commonly used to day.
A bit out of place among all the little death notices that came in this box from Mannheim is this little card from Italy (second picture from top). The back is plain white and you can just about see that at some time something was written on it.
If you hold this little card up to the light, you can suddenly read the inscription pretty clearly. A greeting for the holy communion, signed in Rome, dated March 17th, 1931.
I bought this set in April 2008 and the card depicted at the bottom of the images on the right is actually the "Prayer message of the holy father for the month of April." April 1938, that is!
The prayer message reads: "For those missions in middle Africa who are threatened by the advancing Islam."
I learned today that the christian missions actually had and still have a problem in certain countries, mainly with radical islamic groups. Apparently it is not unheard of that christian missionaries have been and are being killed.
I can only repeat things told to me as I have no personal knowledge or experience, but I find it rather disturbing that two religious groups should fight each other in such a way. Although it is nothing that is new to me. Ireland is just one example.
Still: I don't get it. And it makes the title "Death Cards from Mannheim" even more appropriate for the atmosphere these items create within me.
This complete box stands for one Jesus in my collection and the five cards at the very top stand exemplary for all the others included in the box.
"DEATH CARDS FROM MANNHEIM" (Box of things.)
View larger versions on flickr.
MEASUREMENTS: 41 x 44 cm (w x h)
SIZE: 0,18 m²
BOUGHT ON: April 4th, 2008
IN: Mannheim, Germany (map)
AT: ebay
PRICE PAID: 1,- Euro
DISTANCE TO STUTTGART: 133 km
TOMMI BREM © 2008