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Lot 112
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JFK, "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" White House Photographer Cecil Stoughton's Own Personalized Album of 44 Large 8" x 10" Spectacular Vintage Photos
JFK, "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" White House Photographer Cecil Stoughton's Own Personalized Album of 44 Large 8" x 10" Spectacular Vintage Photos
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Description:

Kennedy John

JFK, "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" White House Photographer Cecil Stoughton's Own Personalized Album of 44 Large 8" x 10" Spectacular Vintage Photos.

 

Exquisite red calf leather photo album, personally owned by White House photographer, Cecil Stoughton who was best known for being President John F. Kennedy's photographer during his White House years. Impressed with decorative tooling to the front, with the spine of the album stamped with Stoughton's initials of "CWS", and the location of the photos of "JFK in Germany". Dated along the bottom of the spine as "1963". Interior of the spiral bound album lined with red damask silk, 9.5" x 10.5" x 2". Contains 44 large 8" x 10" first generation glossy period color photos, on double weight paper stock. Each with Stoughton's unique numbering system on verso. Slight scuffing and rubbing to the album cover, with the spiral casing holding the photos detached from the cover.

By the early 1950s, the Soviet method of restricting emigration was emulated by most of the rest of the Eastern Bloc, including East Germany. However, in occupied Germany, until 1952, the lines between East Germany and the western occupied zones remained easily crossed in most places. Consequently, the inner German border between the two German states was closed and a barbed-wire fence erected. Even after closing of the inner German border officially in 1952, the city sector border in between East Berlin and West Berlin remained considerably more accessible than the rest of the border because it was administered by all four occupying powers. Accordingly, Berlin became the main route by which East Germans left for the West. The Berlin sector border was essentially a "loophole" through which Eastern Bloc citizens could still escape. The 3.5 million East Germans who had left by 1961 totaled approximately 20% of the entire East German population. The emigrants tended to be young and well educated. The loss was disproportionately great among professionals — engineers, technicians, physicians, teachers, lawyers, and skilled workers.

 

The brain drain of professionals had become so damaging to the political credibility and economic viability of East Germany that the resecuring of the Soviet imperial frontier was imperative. Between 1949 and 1961, over 2½ million East Germans fled to the West. The numbers increased during the three years before the Berlin Wall was erected, with 144,000 in 1959, 199,000 in 1960 and 207,000 in the first seven months of 1961 alone. The East German economy suffered accordingly.  On August 13, 1961, a barbed-wire barrier that would become the Berlin Wall was erected by the East Germans. Two days later, police and army engineers began to construct a more permanent concrete wall. Along with the wall, the 830 mile border zone became 3.5 miles wide on its East German side with a tall steel-mesh fence running along a "death strip" bordered by mines, as well as channels of ploughed earth, to slow escapees and more easily reveal their footprints. In the midst of this, President Kennedy went to Berlin in one of his most famous and historic trips abroad.

 

This wonderful set of 44 large original photos personally owned by Kennedy's White House photographer, Cecil Stoughton, were taken during from President Kennedy's trip to Germany in 1963. Kennedy's trip occurred less than 2 years after the building of the Berlin Wall, and was in the height of the Cold War. At that time, Berlin was deep within the Soviet sector of Occupied Germany and, later, of communist East Germany. Berlin was important during the Cold War because it was used to show Western powers' commitment of money, time, and resources to rebuilding Europe and stopping the spread of Soviet communism. Kennedy's trip included perhaps one of his best-known speeches of the Cold War and the most famous anti-communist speech, "Ich bin ein Berliner [I am a Berliner]", the function of which was to prevent mass emigration to the West with an additional message aimed at the Soviets as it was at Berliners and was a clear statement of U.S. Policy in the wake of construction of the Berlin Wall.  This was also intended as a morale boost for West Berliners, who lived in an enclave deep inside East Germany and feared a possible East German occupation. Speaking from a platform for an audience of 450,000, Kennedy said, "Two thousand years ago, the proudest boast was civis romanus sum [I am a Roman citizen]. Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is 'Ich bin ein Berliner!'... All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner!"

A fantastic set of important photos from this historic visit. Included within the album are the following noted photos:

  1. Photos of President Kennedy inspecting military troops and equipment at Fliegerhorst Kaserne in Hanau, Germany.
  2. President Kennedy speaking at Fielgerhorst Kaserne in Hanau, Germany
  3. President Kennedy at Fielgerhorst Kaserne in Hanau, Germany
  4. President Kennedy at Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn, Germany.
  1. President Kennedy at signing of Charter establishing German development service in Bonn, Germany, inclusive of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and President of West Germany, Dr. Heinrich Lubke.

 

  1. President Kennedy delivering remarks at a ceremony establishing the German Development Service at Villa Hammerschmidt

 

  1. President Kennedy, at City Hall in Frankfurt, Germany.

 

  1. Two photos of President Kennedy at Checkpoint Charlie, from an elevated platform along the Berlin wall.

 

  1. Several photos of President Kennedy in a Presidential limousine (Lincoln-Mercury Continental convertible), on route through West Berlin, and another with him standing in the limousine prior to his motorcade through West Berlin.

 

  1. Photos of an enormous crowd  at Rudolf Wilde Platz to hear Kennedy present his speech, with another similar photo with Kennedy preparing to deliver his address at Romerberg Square in Frankfurt.

 

  1. Photos of President Kennedy arriving at Wahn Airport in Bonn, Germany

 

 

This fantastic set of photos includes a vast array of close up photos of a charismatic Kennedy during his speeches, passing in his motorcades (always in his beloved open top convertibles), inspecting military troops and equipment, visiting the Berlin wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and his meeting with the Chancellor of West Germany. One is in awe at the massive crowds and Kennedy's incredible presence. But one is equally in awe at how accessible he was riding about in open cars, and talking in the middle of vast crowds of 450,000 people, and walking through masses of people.  This period of our nation's history, one in which the President would be accessible, would end tragically when only 5 months later. Since Kennedy's assassination, presidential ground transportation and the accessibility has greatly evolved. The most high-tech and secure vehicle in presidential history belongs to the current commander-in-chief. Though most of the details of "The Beast" are classified, instead of being an open vehicle, it is known that the president's limo is equipped with 8-inch thick plates of armor that are capable of stopping an IED, 5-inch multi-layer windows that make the vehicle's door's weight equal to the weight of a door on a 757 airplane, a night vision system, on-board systems for fresh oxygen and even a blood bank, located in the trunk, stocked with the president's blood type.

 

An important, historic set of photos, personally owned by Kennedy's White House photographer, neatly housed in a stunning red leather album.



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