Guide to the Christine Drennon European lantern slide collection, 300-1950

Christine Drennon European lantern slide C0068

Biographical Information

Christine Drennon is an associate professor of sociology and anthropology at Trinity College in San Antonio, Texas, specializing in urban geography, particularly urban fragmentation and the consequent social reproduction of race, class, ethnicity, and gender relationships. Drennon received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas, Austin. Previously, she taught as an assistant professor of geography at George Mason University.

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Scope and Content

The Christine Drennon slide collection contains roughly 100 glass lantern slides from the Universities of Texas and Michigan. The slide collection contains images and political maps of pre and post war Europe, including: the Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria and Italy. A large portion of the slides depict images and plans of polders, areas reclaimed from lakes and seas by the construction of a series of dams and dykes. Several slides reference historically significant events such as the 1945 inundation of the Wieringermeer, a polder in the northern Netherlands, by Nazi troops. Images show the Wieringermeer before, during and after inundation and plans for the reconstruction of dams and the subsequent annexation of German territory awarded as reparations at the end of the war. The collection also includes a number of images of urban and rural destruction as a result of World War II bombing campaigns across Europe. The rest of the collection includes images of city development, rural farming practices, industrial factories, and some monuments and areas of historical interest. Although the slides were created in the 20th century, there are some that contain maps from as early as 300 A.D.

Series 1 contains topographical and political maps of Europe and countries within Europe with national boundaries dating from Antiquity to the mid 20th century. Maps in this series include plans of polders such as Wieringermeer and the areas surrounding IJsselmeer in the Netherlands. Many of the maps detail European borders both past and present and include maps of Austria during the Roman Empire, 8th, 9th, and 10th centuries and the Netherlands during the 14th, 16th and 17th centuries. Several maps are part of planned annexation of German lands by the Netherlands in 1949.

Series 2 contains photographic slides of Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. The slides in this series detail the destruction of major European cities in the aftermath of World War II. A series of slides details the destruction caused by the 1945 inundation of the Wieringermeer polder by Nazi Troops. Other slides depict the destruction of Cologne, Germany after allied bombing attacks and Rotterdam after the Rotterdam Blitz. Slides are organized alphabetically by country.

Series 3 contains photographic slides from Europe depicting both rural and urban areas. Taken between during the 1930s through 1940s, the slides in this series include images of mid century farming practices including the reclaiming of land in the Netherlands to use as farm land. A number of images also depict the industrialization of Europe including major hydroelectric dams in use, and steel and coal factories. Images of urban cities include; Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Venice, Strasbourg, Geneva, Zurich and Leiden. Series 3 also contains a slides of villages in the Austrian state of Tyrol. Rural images include views of the Austrian alps and mountain villages. Also included are slides of sights of cultural and historical significance such as the Piazza San Marco, the Roman ruin's of Carnuntum and temple of Artemis at Sparta. Slides are organized alphabetically by country.

Series 4 contains a number of slides which lack identification. Slides in this series include unmarked topographical maps, images of rural farming equipment and techniques, and images of polders and dams which could possibly be Wieringermeer. They are undated but look to have been produced in the same time frame as the rest of the collection.

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Arrangement

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center also holds other collections on European cities, particularly collections that document planning and urban development.

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Index Terms

Geographical Names:

Subjects:

Document Types:

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Christine Drennon European lantern slide collection, Collection #C0068, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Christine Drennon.

Processing Information

Processed by Special Collections Research Center staff. EAD markup completed by Eron Ackerman and Jordan Patty in August 2009. Additional processing and EAD markup completed by Kristen Korfitzen in October 2011.

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Contents List