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Book Review: Danzig und seine Bauten


Herausgegeben vom WestpreuBischen Architekten und Ingenieur Verein zu Danzig
We had two books on our want-list with a used-book seller near our home, one of which is the title listed above. While in Gdansk in June, Giles du Boulay mentioned that the guy at the used-book. store on the quay, just north of the Hanza Hotel where we were staying, had a number of these reprints of the 1908 book on Danzig buildings. We immediately made for the shop and looked over one of the books. They were marked 160 zlotys (about $46 at the time), but, “Ummm.... my wife made an error when she marked them up and it would be impossible to sell them at that price. Should be 250 zlotys.”

Well, “Ummm” we thought, we didn’t travel 8,000 miles to go home empty-handed, especially since the illustrations did answer many of our requirements. So we spent around $72 for a longed-for publication. Was it worth it? Umm, yes, especially for several projects planned for the Danzig Reports.

What makes this book so special? It contains 432 pages, sized 7” x 9-3/4” (175 x 245 mm), plus an oversized reprint of a 17th-century map and a panoramic view of the city. The book is divided into many sections, so that it is fairly easy, in spite of its language being German, to find a subject. Suppose you are studying the Teutonic era of the city. Look into First Part Einleitendes fiber Danzig; b) Danzig von 1308 bis 1454 (Ordensherrschaft) and you’ll see 3 pages of text, Wappen des Deursch-Ritterordens, Lageplan des alten Schiosses. All of the famous churches are represented, complete with elevation and floor plan. Part Three contains descriptions of “high buildings, both Prussian government buildings and others”. Harbor water courses, shipbuilding plants, hospitals, schools/ universities, commercial (Julius Sauer) and engineering (utilities) are included.

Does such a volume have any limitations? Yes, it does. Mainly, the re-printed illustrations appear to be overinked, resulting in dark photos or drawings that lack details in the middle values. In spite of this drawback, we highly recommend this resource for any research that may be done on Danzig and its buildings, prior to 1908.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 101 - October - November - December - 1998, Page 14.