Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Weidengasse

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". -- During WWII Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids. The first ever 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF ("Operation Millenium") was conducted on Cologne in May 1942. In April 1945, when the American armee reached Cologne, the city was completely ruined. About 90% of all houses in the inner city were - gone. In 1939 Cologne had had a population of more than 700.00. In spring 1945 there were only about 40.000, living in the ruins. So the very most houses and facades in the ctity of Cologne are - young. -- The sign over the large portal of the narrow Neo-renaissance house reads "Wagenbauerei H. P. Hall", so behind the building once was a cartwright's workshop.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". "Ed. Balke" offers cutlery, tableware, household items and electrical appliances - since 1937. When Eduard Balke founded the business, he took over the interior equipment of a shoe-shop that had existed here since about 1900, so some of the shelves are more than a century old. Since 1973 the shop is run by Eduard´s daugther Paula Fitz, who will work here, as long as she is able to. Meanwhile, she is well over 80 years old.