Some Cool Old German Spohr Family Photos

These are the only photos that I have that specifically say they were taken in Europe (there are others that were likely taken before the family came to the United States, but there are no photographer’s marks or writing on the photos that indicates a location). I’ve always assumed that these were Spohr family ancestors, mostly because the one photograph has the name of Louis Spohr (my 2nd great grandfather) written on the back. But I guess I can’t rule out the possibility that they might be ancestors of Louis’ wife, Anna Marie Ott Spohr.

1. The first photo is of a man in some sort of military uniform. (The child’s handwriting on the back says Louis Spohr Madison, Illinois – but I have photos of Louis Spohr and this is definitely not him, so it probably just belonged to him). Photo taken in Leitmeritz (Leitmeritz is now called Litoměřice, Czech Republic – which happens to be only about half an hour south of Salesel [now Ústí nad Labam, Czech Republic], the birthplace of my 3rd great grandfather, Carl Spohr).

2. I believe that the uniformed man standing on the left is the same man as in the first photograph. Photo taken in Carlsbad. (Carlsbad, now called Karlovy Vary Czech Republic, is a spa city about 2 hours from Leitmeritz).

3. You can tell by the backdrop that this photo was taken at the same studio as the second photo. I believe that husband in this photograph is the same man as the one standing on the right in the second photograph of the four men. (And I am assuming it was taken on the same day as the second photo, since the man is wearing the same suit). Photo taken in Carlsbad.

4. When I first came across this photo, I was excited because I thought this man was holding a conductor’s baton – which could mean that he was either my 3rd great grandfather, Carl Spohr who was a ‘choirmeister’, or his father, Franz Spohr who was a ‘cantor’ (a choir director for the church). But in looking closer at the photograph, my husband and I started wondering if it was not a baton, but some kind of wind instrument – like a flute. It is hard to tell, but it looks like there are little bumps along it, which could be keys on a flute (or possibly a really ornately carved baton). Photo taken in Graslitz (where both Carl Spohr and Franz Spohr lived for at least part of each of their lives).

I am hopeful that we might learn more about these pictures by trying to identify the military uniform of the man in the pictures. I tried to find out some information by looking up military uniforms online, but haven’t had any luck yet.