THE WAR ALBUM “CONQUERED RUSSIAN FORTRESSES”: NEW PERSPECTIVES IN THE STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR (1914 – 1918)

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The article aims to analyze the history of the fortresses depicted on the postcards from the Military Album ‘Conquered Russian Fortresses’ published by Knackstedt & Co. The fortresses depicted in the photographs were captured by the army of Kaiser Germany during the First World War (1914-1918). The study complements the information on philocartographic publications of the First World War and helps to expand knowledge about military architecture and to understand the strategic importance of fortresses in the context of the events of the First World War and international relations of that time. This article applies the method of historicism to examine the photographs and postcards depicting the conquered fortresses. These images are evidence of military events. The study of the history of these fortresses is carried out through the prism of cultural heritage, providing a deep understanding of the strategic importance of fortresses in military campaigns. In the examination of the postcards, it was important to determine their historical significance and to attribute the images to certain events and processes. For example, the photographs of the Ruzhanska fortress and other objects indicate their strategic importance during the fighting and certain cultural or propaganda aspects of the use of these materials. Photo-documentary analysis was also used. This is a detailed analysis of postcards, which are not only works of art but also historical documents that reflect real military events. In particular, the article uses this method to study photographs of fortresses that have become part of cultural heritage and military art. By analyzing the images of fortresses, the researcher determines their significance as a source of information about the state of fortifications and the processes of destruction during hostilities. The scientific novelty of this article lies in a comprehensive approach to analyzing the cultural and historical aspects of the use of photo postcards depicting Russian fortresses conquered by Kaiser Germany during the First World War. Specifically, the biographies of German photographers Robert Sennecke and Alfred Kühlewindt, who are little known in Ukrainian-language historiography, are added. This allows us not only to better understand the technical and artistic aspects of photography, but also to assess the role of war correspondents in shaping the image of war through the media. The postcards considered from the small military album in this article are a valuable source that clearly reflects the scale and intensity of the battles of the First World War. Further research could focus on finding the missing cards from the album “Conquered Russian Fortresses” and the other 35 small military albums, as well as studying archival materials. This will allow historians to complete the history of the conquest of Russian fortresses and study the impact of military albums on society and culture of the time.