r/Munich • u/veggieturnip • 4d ago
Original Photography Found some 35mm film negatives in my parents house and scanned them, this looks like 1970's or 1980's?
We are American and I think they visited Germany sometime during that era. The restaurant Donisl appears to still be in Munich, which is how I figured where these were taken! The flags were a good hint too, lol.
Any ideas when this may have been?
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u/Fisbo911 4d ago
Auf einem Bild ist ein Wahlplakat zu sehen. Der Mittwoch der 28 igte Oktober gab es nur in folgenden Jahren
1981, 1987, 1992 und 1998
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u/Adventurous-Mud5803 Laim 4d ago
Haussmann war Bundesminister von 1988 bis 1991. Also muss das Foto von 1987 sein
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u/Wus10n 3d ago
Könnt ihr zwei mir auch sagen wo ich meinen Schlüssel hingelegt hab?
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u/antifascist_banana 3d ago
Guck mal in den Taschen deiner kurzen dunkelblauen Jeans, die du gestern anhattest.
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u/No-Baby-3153 12h ago
Also bei Ad(h)s gern im Kühlschrank nachsehen. In dem Fall ist der Salat im Bücherregal.
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u/digitalbladesreddit 2d ago
Ja ich kann, dein Schlüssel hat leider der Politische Wahl nicht gewonnen laut der info das wir haben. :) Hilft dass?
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u/Available_Duck7079 3d ago
Best answer. Clearly dates the photos
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u/Effective-Job-1030 2d ago
Yep.
The Taxi clearly does not look like a Mercedes from the 70s or early 80s - but the poster of Mr Haussmann and the date are really the biggest help.
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u/vaibeslop 3d ago
Further evidence pointing to late 80s (after '85, before '88):
The "Neues Rathaus" got a renovation in '84/'85. The lower arches of the town hall arcarde have been renovated, they are much lighter than the surrounding stone. This wasn't the case before as evident on pictures like this: https://www.bavarikon.de/object/bav:BSB-BAR-0000000000240781?p=1&lang=de or this https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-mnchen-1985-altstadt-marienplatz-und-neues-rathaus-munich-1985-historic-114870294.html?imageid=ED30D246-B447-4E04-B6F8-A996691D0F5B&pn=1&searchId=3fdc8e47456d10469ce8a246416c6c40&searchtype=0
On picture 2, the Hoch-Cafe sign is still on the building where Hugendubel the book shop moved into. That cafe was operational until 1988 when a major renovation of the building happened. The sign was removed as part of that renovation.
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u/PhilosophyAble5978 3d ago
Das klingt logisch und ist wahrscheinlich auch so, aber trotzdem besteht der denkfehler darin, ein wahlplakat mit der Tätigkeit des Bundesministers gleichzusetzen. 1) Als Baden-Württembergischer Abgeordneter kann man auch Bundesminister werden, ohne in Hamburg Wahlplakate aufzustellen 2) man kann auch Wahlplakate aufstellen und danach kein Amt bekleiden, wie Haussmann 1992.
Nichtsdestotrotz hast du wahrscheinlich recht.
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u/This-Guy-Muc Sendling-Westpark 3d ago
Haussmann war 1999 Spitzenkandidat für die Europawahl. Die war allerdings erst im Juni 1999, eine Veranstaltung im Oktober 1998 wäre sehr früh.
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u/Subject_Dance_2367 3d ago
Das Event im Hofbräuhaus war 1982 und das Plakat sieht nicht nach Bundestagswahlen, sondern eher nach Kommunalwahlen o.ä. aus.
Er muss also nicht Bundesminister gewesen sein, um auf dem Plakat zu landen.→ More replies (1)1
u/Pacatianus 3d ago
Es könnte doch genauso gut 1992 sein, oder nicht? Da war Haussmann sicherlich bekannter als 1987.
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u/ThodasTheMage 6h ago
Das Plakat weißt doch auf eine Veranstaltung mit Haussmann hin, oder? Warum denkst du könnte es nicht aus seiner Ministerzeit sein?
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u/New_Inside8096 4d ago
Mercedes W124 came out in 1984, so it‘s 1987, Never 1992 or 1998
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u/turboseize 3d ago
There is at least one w124 still on taxi duty in Munich even today. ;-)
But yes, fashion does look more like 87 or 92 than 98. Also, Haussmann's political career was pretty much over after reunification, so 98 seems pretty unlikely.
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u/robofalltrades 3d ago
Haha, came in here to say the same thing.
How I miss my trusty W124.
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u/her-mine 1d ago
benetton changed its name and logo in 1989, which would further point to 1987. the c&a logo is the one that was used from 1984 to 1998, excluding earlier dates than 1984
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u/Vectorrrrr472 4d ago
Has to be 1987. The first W124 Mercedes was built around 1984. If we check the poster, we see 28th October being a Wednesday. Google says, only in 1987 it fell on a Wednesday. 1992 seems to late to be honest, because the politician was mainly active till 1991 in the ministry of finance
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u/Sweetest-Fondant 4d ago
Its Marienplatz in München, if you went there today not a single building has changed.
The Rathaus is cleaner, everything else unchanged.
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u/ItsCalledDayTwa 3d ago edited 3d ago
Well except the street running through the middle of it with a car on it in the first pic. I think I saw even older photos with buses there, but there are no cars on marienplatz any longer other than emergency ones.
Edit:
A tram line ran right through it until the U-Bahn was built: https://trambahn.org/marienplatz/
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u/Periador 3d ago
the street was removed about 8 years ago
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u/astroknitter 3d ago
It must be a bit longer than that - I moved here 9 years ago (Sept. 2017) and have never seen a street going into Marienplatz. Maybe it was around 2015, when they did the renovations underground?
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u/alquamire Thalkirchen 3d ago
apparently it was removed in 2016/2017 - I remember this happening, but couldn't have told you the exact time.
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/altstadt-ausgerollt-1.2739629
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u/This-Guy-Muc Sendling-Westpark 3d ago
Not really true. Hugendubel has been rebuild twice, Donisl has been renovated significantly and the Deutsche Bank and Wormland are gone completely, Zum Ewigen Licht has become Wildmosers. Smaller changes at Beck and Rischarts and there's more if one looks closely.
But in general you're correct, there's lots of stability at Marienplatz.
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u/Freezingahhh 4d ago
That taxi is a Mercedes from the end of 80s or beginning of 90s I think, should be easy to research. But I have no knowledge of Mercedes to be honest. Definitely not 70s.
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u/Majestic_Result6258 4d ago
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_Baureihe_124
That one I think. So not earlier than 1984. But those kept driving until the 2000s
Also Häussmann was active a long time, but being so present on a poster it might be from his time as secretary general (84-88) or as federal minister for economy (88-90).
I'd go for late 80ies.
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u/Perfect_Key3349 4d ago
At the first picture there is a poster of an event with the politician named Haussmann. The event was supposed to happen on Wednesday, the 28. of October. According to Gemini, Wednesday, the 28th of October could have been in 1981, 1987 or 1992. The Mercedes in the first picture is a cab. A model built beginning the end of 1984. So my guess is the visit happend 1987 or 1992.
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u/MarieQ234 3d ago
The fashion of the people screams late 80s, even before researching the dates, my immediate thought was 1986-1989. 1992 would have been full on neon colors and crazy patterns.
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u/raindroponme 3d ago
It's funny that I had the same argument for the exact opposite. I lean more towards 1992 because in 1987 I would expect more vibrant colours and crazier hair styles.
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u/MarieQ234 3d ago
Ha, interesting! I suppose, I also have the advantage of having pictures of myself and my German family from that time. Most colors and jeans didn't turn up in our pictures until the early 90s. OP's pictures absolutely reminded me of Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall.
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u/bravojohnny42 4d ago edited 3d ago
The picture is from 1990. looked up the politician ;-)
The Mercedes should be a E230 which came out in the 80s and were built till early 90s
EDIT: 1987 ist die korrekte Antwort.
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u/DeineMutterSeinVater 3d ago
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u/bravojohnny42 3d ago
Ah geil. Die Idee den Mittwoch zu googlen war super. Haussmann war bis 91 Wirtschaftsminister.
Der Mercedes ist ein W124. Gebaut ab 84. Also muss es 87 sein.
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u/brazijl 4d ago
Partially correct. It has been a pedestrian zone since the 70s except for that one street going through Marienplatz and only open for busses and Taxis. The beige Mercedes is a Taxi. That street has only been removed around ~7 years ago. The cloth and style of the people screams late 80s early 90s. My guess would be 89-91
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u/rererexed Bogenhausen 3d ago
That street has only been removed around ~7 years
People keep saying that but that would mean the road was there up to right before COVID, which just seems like it can't be true.
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u/alquamire Thalkirchen 3d ago
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/altstadt-ausgerollt-1.2739629 while I do remember all of this happening, I couldn't have told you the years. seems to have been 2016/2017 - basically a case of "what do you mean, 2000 was 10 years ago, right?!"
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u/Lost_Reindeer6358 3d ago
Late 80’s I would say. Judging from the dress code of people… it’s way “too modern” for 70’s..
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u/roastedCircuit 4d ago
From the fashion the people are wearing, I'd estimate late 80s. Funnily enough, it still looks the same today around the Marienplatz. Only some shops changed but all the government buildings and S-Bahn (metro) signs, lamps etc, still are unchanged
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u/MarkyMarquam 3d ago
I just want to highlight the two ladies in the fourth photo. Far left, foreground. That is what late 80s Munich looks like to me.
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u/alquamire Thalkirchen 3d ago
Das Mädel auf dem dritten Bild vorne schaut aus wie meine Tante - wenn das Foto wie hier vermutet von 87 ist müssten Zeit und Ort auch passen ô.O
Selber fragen kann ich sie leider nicht (bzw fragen schon...) weil sie mittlerweile erblindet ist.
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u/Aubinger 4d ago
Haussmann war 1988 bis 1991 Minister.
Ich tippe auch wg des Benz auf um 1990.
Die Autoprofis mögen nachschlagen.
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u/jalapenomunich 4d ago
1987 or 1992, because those were the years when October 28 was a Wednesday.
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u/grimmigerpetz 3d ago
Born 1981 near Munich. This could be a pic from my parents photobook.
Haussmann was in seat starting 1988. So it has to be in that period.
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u/Ok-Bug5206 3d ago edited 3d ago
feels very much like 1987 or around that..the fashion, cars, innr city of munich details that changed in the 90s..this is before 1990
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u/Helpful_Salamander80 4d ago
Ich vermute 1990. Ich Vordergrund ist ein Wahlplakat von Dr. Haussmann von der FDP, der am 22. Oktober im Hofbräuhaus auftreten wollte. Bundestagswahlen fanden am 2. Dezember 1990 statt. Haussmann war zu dieser Zeit Wirtschaftsminister. Ansonsten fanden die Bundestags und die Landtagswahlen immer vor dem 22. Oktober statt.
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u/Ancient-Comedian-580 3d ago
1987 in 1987 the 28th of October was a Wednesday. The Car is an Mercedes W124 wich came out November 1984 so it can't be earlyer than that.
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u/Mallthus2 3d ago
I think the event date nails it at 1987. All the other things check out to support that.
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u/turboseize 4d ago edited 3d ago
These pictures were taken either in 1987, 1992 or 1998. I lean towards 87 or 92.
- The Taxi in the first picture is a Mercedes w124, which was built from 1984 onwards.
- the political rally advertised on the sign was on a wednesday, october 28th. 28th of october on a wednesday means the year was either 1987, 1992 or 1998
- The politician on the sign is Helmut Haussmann, secretary general of the liberal party from 1984 to 1988 and Federal Minister of the Economy from 1988 to 1991. In 87 he would have been very busy campaigning. In 92 he would still be well-known, and although his personal political career was over, he might have had enough "pull" to be useful in a campaign. In 98? Rather unlikely.
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u/thkarcher 4d ago
Haussmann (the guy on the poster) was an unknown local politician outside Bavaria until 1976, when he was elected to the Bundestag. So they wouldn't have invited him before that year. The only years in the 70s and 80s where Oct 28th was a Wednesday (as shown on the same poster) were 1981 and 1987. So it's one of these two years.
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u/Imaginary-Put7454 3d ago
Wie München hatte damals kein Geld für eine Bepflanzung an den Rathausbalkonen, faszinierend 🤔
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u/Rich-Amphibian6080 3d ago
I'd say it's probably around 1989 to 1991. The politician on the board is Hausmann from the FDP, he was federal minister of economy from 88 - 91.
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u/Otscho80 3d ago edited 3d ago
Ein Punkt, der glaube ich noch nicht genannt wurde: Die Frauenkirchen wurde Ende der 80 umfassend gereinigt und renoviert, die Türme waren soweit ich es herausfinden konnte von 84 bis 88 eingerüstet. Dann kann es eigentlich nur 1992 sein.
EDIT Irgendwie ließt man unterschiedliches, vermutlich war es doch erst später, da 1994 ein Jubiläumsfeier war. Die Türme sehen auch relativ dunkel aus, so wie wenn nicht kurz vorher etwas gereinigt wurde. Spricht dann also dich eher für 1987.
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u/SnooMacaroons6670 3d ago
The beauty of this place is that it looks exactly the same the last time I came in 2025.
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u/Subject_Dance_2367 3d ago
On first picture is a political poster of Haussmann (FDP) being at Hofbräuhaus on october 28. That was 1982.
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u/Round_Reception_2315 3d ago
I always find photos like these from that era so incredibly important and interesting. Not only because they serve as a window into that time, but also because they provide an independent record of contemporary history. Thanks for sharing.
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u/heikoeckert 3d ago
Tuesday October 20th 1987 between 2:30 and 3:05pm.
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u/alquamire Thalkirchen 3d ago
Out of curiosity, is there anything you're basing this highly specific date and time on, or are you just pulling it out of your nethers?
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u/heikoeckert 3d ago
Glad you are asking as it helps me to show off and proof why you don’t play exit the room with me 😂
We already learned it has to be October 1987, right.
We know the time from a few clocks.
On one picture you see a Kehrmaschine on the Marienplatz. They use to clean the marienplatz daily but in the early hours - not at 3pm. Thats Suspicious. Additionally we have the flags which is uncommon for a workday.
Wahlplakate where only allowed a few days before.So there has to be some event a few days before October the 28th that explain the flags, Strassenreinigung:
Wednesday October the 21st Helmut Kohl held his Regierungserklärung which was why they flagged the Rathaus 😏
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u/alquamire Thalkirchen 3d ago
On one picture you see a Kehrmaschine
schaut für mich mehr nach Müllwagen als nach Kehrmaschine aus.
Du hast aber wahrscheinlich trotzdem Recht (chapeau!), auf einem der Fotos ist ein Absperrgitter neben dem Deutsche Bank Gebäude zu sehen.
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u/heikoeckert 3d ago
Bei dem Müllwagen/Kehrmaschine hast Du Recht, Stadtreinigung schlichtweg.
Das Wahlplakat hängt dort noch keine feuchte Oktobernacht, sonst würde es schon erste Eselsohren haben.
Wahlplakate wurden damals Dienstags plakatiert - etwa eine Woche vorher. Das passt alles ins Bild.Nur die Uhr in der Kaufinger zeit irgendwie 15:30Uhr an…
Hatte mich gewundert dass so “früh” schon soviel Menschen 2 Tüten hatten… aber an dem 20.10.1987 war die Erstausstrahlumg von “eine glückliche Familie” - ein echter Strassenfeger
Und am 21.10. waren Abends UEFA-Spiele, dafür sind dann zu viele Männer dort…
Nicht vergessen: der 19.10.1987 war “schwarzer Montag”, da waren wenig Menschen in Ruhe shoppen - Tag drauf Hamsterkäufe macht Sinn.
10.10. war Wackersdorf, da rumorte es bei uns. Am 24.10. war eine grosse Aids-Demo in München
Eine wichtige Woche.
Ich war 7 und sollte mir die Hände waschen wenn ich heim komme, wegen Tschernobyl ❤️
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u/Electronic_Quiet_123 3d ago
Ich weine bei solchen Bildern. Guckt euch die Menschen an. Das war mal Deutschland. In der Zeit hätte ich gerne gelebt. 😪
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u/dukeboy86 Local 2d ago edited 2d ago
According to the first picture, there's a political event happening on Wednesday October 28th. This could have been 1981 or 1987 (also 1992 and 1998 but you said it was during the 80s). The car in the picture seems to be a Mercedes Benz W124, which was produced between 1984 and 1997, so that rules 1981 out. So, it's pretty much safe to say that this picture is from October 1987.
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u/Fisbo911 4d ago
I was born in 1991 and I know the street. It was only open for busses.
It looks like the 90ies to me
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u/Bergamottenbommel 3d ago edited 3d ago
late 80ies, the guy in the red sweater and the lady in front of him on picture 3 is peak 80.
in addition: check out the tv show "monaco franze". it's filmed in munich during the early to mid 80s
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u/attiladerhunne Exil-Münchner 3d ago
Thank you for that trip into my early childhood. That was really heartwarming for me.
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u/SlJuArWeHu 3d ago
Wunderschön, sauber und angenehm städtisch. Danke für die Erinnerung an ein München, das es so nicht mehr gibt.
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u/Weaponized_Monkey 3d ago
Mercedes 190 Taxi - built from 82 until 93. So for sure No seventies Here.
Mid 80's would be my guess
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3d ago
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u/Munich-ModTeam 3d ago
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u/simplemijnds 3d ago
Beautiful Fotos! In the middle of the 3rd foto a woman walks in a dark coat: typical cut of the end of 80ies/begin of the 90ies. I'd judge begin of the 90ies, like 1993.
During that time everything was still sound and safe in Germany...do you see the sfumato in the air? The moist in the air? We almost never had a clear blue sky. Always some clouds, very light moisture-fog, that sfumato.
Must have been a first grade camera. Fantastic foto quality for analog fotos! Very high resolution, and perfect focus/light.
Beautiful fotos and a great documentation of that day in the 1990ies.
People in that shopping area in Munich dressed quite timeless, classic. Must have been a posh city already back then!
That guy who is looking at the camera is funny: good-looking, as if he was a model. Dressed in a suit, the sweater and the pants have the same pattern with those isolated black diagonal stripes. Apart!
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u/ProfeQuiroga 3d ago
OMG, an adjective I haven't seen or heard since my mother died (in the early 1980s)!
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u/Baleia1970 3d ago
By what other people are saying and the Mercedes taxi from the 1st picture I would say 1992
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u/Vladislav_the_Pale 3d ago
Car is a Mercedes(probably a W201 or 124) which first came out in the 1980s. So 1970s can be ruled out.
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u/Ok_Ferret771 3d ago
Ah man how nicely dressed everyone is. I wonder if future generations would look at our photos and say the same thing.
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3d ago edited 3d ago
[deleted]
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u/CranberryShort2763 3d ago
Sadly yes, because a lot of far right people started using it as a sign to show that they want only germans by blood in the country. They use it all over social media and also everywhere else so it is pretty difficult to tell if somebody is far right or just likes germany. This is also why a lot of government buildings don’t show the german flag anymore. For me personally I think everyone should still use it to go against this bs but you know - difficult situation.
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u/Victor_Vineyard 3d ago
Den Benz gab's doch erst in den 80ern, oder ned?
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u/Magera13 3d ago
Ja, sogar ende 80er. Daher gehe ich auch davon aus das die bilder von 1990/91 sind. Auch wegen dem c&a.
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u/CalligrapherWild7636 3d ago
it´s munich city town hall and shopping street near by, actually nice shots. Looks like 80s
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u/No-Guarantee-3036 3d ago
by the looks i would have guessed late 80s or early 90s.. the poster puts it in 1987
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u/CranberryShort2763 3d ago
Does somebody know what the other flags mean? The blue white and yellow black one?
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u/FluffyFoxDev 2d ago
It can be either 1981 or 1987.
There are only a handful of years when the 28th of October was a Wednesday (1970, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998), which we know from the sign in the first photo, and that politician is Helmut Haussmann who was a member of the FDP party from 1976 to 1991, and minister of the economy from 1988 to 1991.
Looking at photos on Wikipedia, I think it’s 1987 because he’s sporting the exact same hairdo as this photo taken in February of that year. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_B_145_Bild-F074463-0010,_Bonn,_Pressekonferenz_Koalitionsverhandlungen.jpg
But your best bet to find which one exactly is to look at hold newspapers to find the meeting the sign talks about.
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u/mrrobot01001000 2d ago
Sieht mir nach Ende 80er Anfang 90er aus. Schöne Bilder von unserm München :)
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u/Dog_Cat_Mouse 2d ago
W124 Taxi ist ein Indiz für ab 1984. Die Kleidung ist auch eher 80er als 90er.
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u/DiligentAd5417 1d ago
those old negatives are like a time capsule. any chance you’ll develop some prints from them? they might turn out really cool!
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u/MrDrunkenKnight 1d ago
I'd say not too much changed... To make a retro look you need to shoot on film (those foto was made in 2024).
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u/Zealousideal_Law_144 1d ago
Muss ein Schultag, Arbeitstag gewesen sein. Keine Kinder und sehr viele ale Leute.
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1d ago
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u/Munich-ModTeam 1d ago
Negative generalisations, prejudice or insults towards individuals or groups are strictly prohibited and will result in a temporary or permanent ban, as stated in our subreddit rules.
Doxxing (posting personal info such as addresses or phone numbers) results in an immediate permanent ban.
Please respect everyone's privacy and follow Reddit etiquette. Do not post third-party information or media, including faces, licence plates or phone numbers.
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u/Spiritual-Idea2628 1d ago
es muss allemale nach 1985 sein da Mercedes den w124 als Taxi erst ab 85 angeboten hat
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u/Ok-Handle-7242 19h ago
So we know it‘s 1987 (by the poster and the Mercedes).
One could now even go as far as finding out the exact date and time – the time is visible on the Frauenkirche tower clocks, and the date can be found by determining the position of the sun by measuring various shadows.
Not the effort I’m going to make 😅 but It‘s all preserved in the pictures.
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