ABSTRACT
Photo albums are an important medium for narrating history in the private realm. Photography obviously has a major impact on historical knowledge and interpretations. Unlike published images such as advertising posters or election propaganda, private photography has scarcely been analyzed, and even less so photo albums as its main archival and viewing context. Albums tell individual life stories and family narrations which can be critical or affirmative toward the published, collective imaginary. These narrations are determined by complex patterns of perception and representation and often remain open for different interpretations by different audiences. Taking two examples from German history of the twentieth century, this chapter seeks to understand the private functions of creating family albums and to analyze their narrative structures.
