Lehnert and Landrock
Introduction - The Voyage au Levant (Egypt and the Holy Land) strongly loomed the European imagination as of the eighteenth century, the need for exoticism at the time was fed by painters and writers of the Orientalist school.
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Napoleon's Expedition to Egypt produced the famous publication Déscription de l’Égypte (1809-1822) which further increased Western scholars, archeologists and scientists' interest in exploring Egypt's past and present.
With the introduction of photography in 1839, Maxime Du Camp and Gustave Flaubert embarked on a voyage in 1849 sailing up the Nile from Cairo to Nubia (Upper Egypt/Northern Sudan), then back downstream to Cairo; the Frenchmen later visited Palestine and Syria before heading back home where they produced the first known publication of travel photography.
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Many photographers followed the example set by both Frenchmen; the works produced would be presented in elegant limited edition portfolios for the select audience in Europe.
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With the expansion of travel and organized tourism in the 1860s (Thomas Cook offering his first Nile tour in 1869) many photographers chose to open studios in the Middle East; L & L were one such studio.
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L & L is short for Lehnert and Landrock, bookstore and publishers of the world famous collections of early twentieth century Middle East photography, and one of a handful of ongoing Swiss establishments in Egypt since 1924.
Source: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/treg/hd_treg.htm
Malcolm Daniel - Department of Photographs, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 2004
Lehnert, Rudolf Franz
Born: July 13th, 1878 – Grossaupa, Giant Mountains, Bohemia (Today Czech Republic).
Deceased: January 16th, 1948 – Redeyef, Gafsa Oasis, Tunis.
Lehnert's mother passed away when he was eight, his father followed when he was fourteen. His parents, being of Austrian origin, his uncle and guardian – as well as tutor – took young Lehnert to live with him in Vienna where he finished the secondary school and joined the Graphic Arts Institute.
At the age of 21 (1899), his uncle and guardian released his heritage to him; Lehnert began touring Europe on foot specially Italy.
While on tour, Lehnert worked for a Graphic art house in Lausanne where he might have met Landrock who was living in Vevey (1901/02).
1903, during his visit to Palermo, Italy, Lehnert realized that he is only 12 hours away by boat from Tunis; Lehnert makes the sea voyage and with the revelation of the Orient, this sea voyage becomes the major turning point of his life.
Lehnert travels all over the country on foot, visiting the desert and the oasis in the south and making many photos.
Landrock, Ernst Heinrich
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Born: August 4th, 1878 – Reinsdorf, Zwickau, Chemnitz, Saxony Germany.
Deceased: April 30th, 1966 – Kreuzlingen, Constance, Switzerland.
At the early age of eighteen, young Landrock travelled on foot all over Germany and Switzerland for about seven years; by 1903 he was settled in Vevey Switzerland.
Lehnert and Landrock in Tunisia
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1904, Lehnert returns to Switzerland where he meets Landrock. Lehnert tells him about his recent voyage to Tunis and shows him the photos he made. Landrock quickly recognizes the artistic value of the photos and the potential profitable business opportunity inherent. Landrock known to be quick in his decisions immediately agrees to accompany Lehnert to Tunis and join him opening their own shop in the capital Tunisia.
Both young men (then aged 26) were not rich; they needed to finance their expedition but found no one to lend them the money. Landrock approached his friend Fritz Schauer the only son of the Schauer family for whom he was working at their farm in Schönau Germany.
Young Schauer accepted to lend his friend 4,000 Marks which was a large sum of money at the time; Landrock paid his debt back in the twentieth of the twentieth century and Fritz Schauer used the sum to build himself a new house.
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1904, Lehnert and Landrock traveled to Tunisia, Landrock rents a shop in the city center (7 Rue des Tamis), as business prospers they move to Tunisia main street (17 avenue de France 1907 and later 9 avenue de France 1911); Lehnert is the photographer, artist, and Landrock is the tireless manager.
Le magasin Lehnert & Landrock , 9 avenue de France à Tunis (1904-1914)
World War I
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Tunis was a French Protectorate since 1881.
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Landrock is a German citizen and Lehnert – born in Bohemia – holds an Austrian passport.
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As soon as the Great War erupted, the company was sequestered by the French authorities and Landrock interned in Engelberg Switzerland, as part of a Franco-German agreement concerning citizens not fit for military service.
As for Lehnert, his friend Etienne Dinet arranged for him to join a caravan travelling to Laghouat, Algeria the spring of 1914. He rented camels to carry his photographing equipments, dresses like the Bedouins and shares their life in every detail. He returns back to Tunis on July 31, 1914 ignoring the recent events that took place in Europe.
Within a few days and by August 4th 1914, Lehnert was held as Prisoner of War, the store was already sealed. Lehnert was first detained in Algeria then moved to Corsica.
In Switzerland, Landrock is actively on top of his friend situation. Lehnert has asthma from an early age and resents his confinement. In December 1914, the Swiss Confederation agrees to take him over on health conditions. He is under house arrest in Davos in the canton of Grisons where he stayed until April 1919.
It is within this period of time (1914-1919) that both young men met their future wives. Landrock meets Emilie Singer-Lambelet – from the Swiss canton Thurgau – in a sanatorium near Luzern where she used to be treated for her migraines; he tells her stories of the beautiful Tunis and the Orient where he used to live with the sun and palm trees; she is married and has a young boy; Kurt Lambelet. Lehnert meets Eugenie Schmitt (Jenny) from Alsace, with whom he had a daughter, Eliane, in 1916.
In May 1919 Lehnert is exchanged as Prisoner of War and is transferred to Austria.
After the September 10th 1919 Peace Treaty between the Allies and Austria, Bohemia is attached to Czechoslovakia and Lehnert becomes a Czech citizen allied to France; as soon as he obtains his new passport, Lehnert joins his wife in Switzerland 1920.
As per Kurt Lambelet (Landrock step son – see below), Lehnert joins a caravan crossing the desert and returns after two months to find an impatient Landrock, Lehnert proudly shows him the photos made saying "people will still be talking about my photos for 200 years to come"; Lehnert also joins several Mediterranean cruises making photos of many sea ports, photos which will be very famous. For the next ten years, Lehnert will continue to survey the Maghreb to enrich his collection, he will be also very famous for his partial nude portraits.
Lehnert in his office, Tunisia
Lehnert and Landrock in Leipzig and in Egypt
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Landrock moves to Dresden 1918 and then to Leipzig in 1919; Emilie leaves her family on May 15th 1920 and joins Landrock, they both got married 1923.
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Lehnert joins Landrock in Leipzig 1920 where he takes his shots to be engraved; the shots will be marketed later in Cairo.
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Together they establish "Orient Kunst Verlag" at 11 Emilien strasse, this allows them to rebuild a capital specially through exporting color lithographs to South Africa, payable in dollars, a stable currency in times of recession. They also publish an album in two versions; Lehnert & Landrock Orient-Kunstverlag Leipzig, and L & L Editeurs le Caire; the album contains 386 photos of the Tunisian period, 18 of Egypt, 9 of Palestine and 30 reproductions of R. Leinweber. This is the period where they decided to resume their business from Cairo.
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In October 1920, Lehnert leaves to Tunis in an attempt to recuperate their previous business belongings. The process is very lengthy but ends successfully by July 1922.
Lehnert & Landrock , Adly street Cairo 1924
November 1923, Lehnert leaves to the Middle East with an assistant to photograph Egypt mainly as well as Palestine and Lebanon; Landrock, his wife Emilie, her son Kurt Lambelet (now aged 19) as well as Eugenie Lehnert and their daughter Eliane all arrived to Alexandria October 4th 1924 on board of the Italian boat Tevere. They are accompanied by 200 cases of household and personal belongings and lots of merchandise.
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A wholesale store is rented at 21 Magrabi (Adly) Street at the Benani building accompanied with an 8 rooms apartment and the Egypt Business of Lehnert & Landrock began. The merchandise brought helps starting the business as well as 2000 Egyptian pounds Credit offered by The Anglo Egyptian bank, a debt repaid in full 1948. The business was officially registered by August 6th 1926.
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Landrock is managing the business while Lehnert takes his photo equipments and starts covering the whole Middle East especially Egypt and its fabulous archaeological richness. The photos become essentially documentaries reaching a large public. Two photographers are also hired to assist Lehnert.
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Wholesale business is not encouraging hence a second store for retail sales was opened at 4 Kamel Ibrahim Pacha street (Gomhouria) right between Continental and Shepherds hotels; both shops are ran by Swiss Directors with inventory consisting of postcards, photographs and reproductions of art photographs.
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Lehnert is missing Tunis, the old Arab palaces, the life style he deeply admired and the people; meanwhile he made the necessary arrangements to obtain the French nationality which he acquired in 1929.
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By 1930 he asks his friend and Partner Landrock to buy him out, this is done by June 15 1930 and Lehnert returns to live in Tunisia, Tunis.
Lehnert Back to Tunis
Back to Tunisia with his wife Eugenie, Lehnert re-unites with his old friends and acquaintances; he builds himself a house in Carthage and opens a studio at 48 Jules-Ferry Avenue down town Tunisia where he quickly acquires a reputation as a great portraitist.
1939 World War II erupts and Mrs. Lehnert becomes seriously ill. Lehnert stops all his activities and retire in Carthage. His daughter Eliane and son in law join them in 1942.
1944 Mrs. Eugenie Lehnert passes away and is buried in Carthage; Lehnert moves to Redeyef Gafsa to join his daughter and her husband.
January 16th 1948, Lehnert passes away at the age of 70 and is buried next to his wife.
Landrock and World war II
After Lehnert departure to Tunis 1930, Landrock assumes the full responsibility with the help of his step son Kurt Lambelet. The business name is changed to "L & L, Ernest Landrock successor". The right of the photos reproduction is kept with the company but the two photographers are no longer needed.
Landrock is the 55th member of the Lutheran Church in Cairo in 1933. The German Nazi party in Cairo is very active and recommends buying from H. Friedrich Book store the party member. Landrock business is negatively affected, he applies for membership in the party in 1934 but his request was refused being married to a foreigner (his Swiss wife Emilie).
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Lehnert & Landrock , Sherif street Cairo 1934
In June 1934 a new wholesale and retail shop was opened in 44 Madabegh street (Sherif) photo above; this shop expands by one extra unit every year until 1938. The store becomes an art publishing center acquiring a reputation as the German bookshop. The trade consists of photographs of art, printed articles and photographs. Some 3,000 Germans are living in Cairo, buying novels, dictionaries and children's books. The library is headed by Mr. Pepino, a retired German soldier decorated with the Iron Cross. Mr. Pepino goes home before the war to defend his country, the Nazi Germany does not admit him into the army, his mother being Jewish.
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Landrock visits Germany for the summer of 1938; it was his first visit to Germany after 14 years. Landrock quickly recognizes the drums of war beating everywhere. Remembering the days of WW I in Tunis and the sequestration of the German properties, he sells 80% of his business to his Swiss step son Kurt Lambelet as soon as he returns to Cairo; the business is now called "L & L Successors - Ernest Landrock & Co".
1939, Landrock and his wife leave to Germany; the war breaks up soon after and they settle in Biberbach/Riss in the south of Germany; they will never return to Egypt.
By 1965 they decide to move to Kreuzlingen Switzerland by Lake Constance; Ernest Landrock passed away April 30th 1966 aged 88 at the "Zur Abendsonne" Retirement House in Kreuzlingen Switzerland; his wife Emilie followed him August 2nd. 1971.
Kurt Lambelet
Kurt Lambelet was born March 27, 1905 in Kreuzlingen Switzerland by Lake Constance, to Emile Lambelet from canton of Vaud and Emilie Singer from canton Thurgau.
Of his childhood memories, he cherished the holidays spent at his maternal grandfather farm at Emishofen, Schaffhausen Switzerland, playing with his grandfather carpentry tools along with his childhood friend the son of Count Zeppelin. Together they sometimes watch overflying Zeppelin from the nearby airbase of Friedrichshafen.
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1911, the family moved to Zurich where Kurt joined the primary school, of the memories he recalled was the day the Titanic sank and hearing the cannons thunder at Verdun France in the western front during WW I summer nights.
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1919, Kurt is happy to be admitted to the industrial school (1919-1923), a step in his pursuit to be an engineer. His father is back from Russia with over 800 magnificent carpets; Kurt has more success selling them then his success in school.
1923, Kurt is disappointed to find out that of the 200 graduates from the Polytechnic School of Zurich only 7 were hired and for very low wages; Kurt enrolled at the School of Commerce in Lausanne and obtained his diploma in record time (1923-24) with grade "good".
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As he accompanies his mother and his step father Landrock to Egypt in 1924, he will earn his place in the L & L business by increasing sales; he also travels many times by car to Palestine loaded with merchandise to sell there.
In 1931, Kurt travels aboard "Graf Zeppelin" flying at 400 – 500 meters altitude over Sinai, Palestine and Jerusalem; two years later he makes his first voyage abroad attending the World Expo in Chicago USA.
By 1934, Kurt is married to the Greek Julie Georgacopoulo; they have three children Edouard, Claude and Marguerite.
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By the beginning of WW II, the business – known in Cairo as the German Bookshop – was sequestered by British authorities (as did Landrock foresee may happen). Being a Swiss national with majority 80% stake, Kurt Lambelet was able to clarify the situation, re-open the shop and resume business.
The business has to comply with new regulations, German imports are naturally prohibited, the3,000 German nationals living in Egypt (major customers segment) were interned: the men detained in Fayed and the women in Mansoura; of course no tourism was active at the time.
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Despite being located between two major hotels, the retail shop at 4 Kamel Ibrahim Pacha street is not doing well; the shop was released back 1942 for 1000 Egyptian pounds.
The 20% share of Landrock was sequestered by Egyptian government (managed by Mr. Abdel Maksud); this share was bought back by Kurt Lambelet on November 19, 1945 for 850 Egyptian Pounds. The business is now called "LEHNERT & LANDROCK - K. Lambelet successors".
A German employer was hired, Mr. M. Engelen, he reorganizes the shop still commonly known as the German Bookshop adding a section for English books.
1952, Kurt and Julie are divorced; Kurt is married the same year to Etty Acriche.
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Agreement reached with Kurt Lambelet with respect to managing L&L bookshop under sequestration - Courtesy Dr. Edouard Lambelet
Kurt's three kids Edouard, Claude and Margueritte are leaving to Switzerland with their mother; it is July 22, 1952 afternoon, Edouard is visiting his father who seemed to be worried about increased military presence in the streets. Early next morning they are all in a taxi headed to Almaza International Airport, same sight of military presence on every main corner; after the plane was airborne the pilot announced that they were the last flight to leave Egypt. As they arrive in Rome for their first stop they are informed that a military coup took place in Egypt. Claude Lambelet recalls that her mother Julie was pleased to hear the news.
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Things change after July 1952 military coup (to be later known as 1952 revolution). Laws change, nationalization of enterprises with large capital (LE 100k and above) takes place; however L&L remains in business and continues being the sole distributor for the German fashion magazine "Burda Moden" till 1995.
January 1st 1965 – A Company is established between Kurt Lambelet, his son Dr. Edouard Lambelet and the Greek shop manager Georges Angelidis; "L & L – K. Lambelet & Co".
1968 – Import permits are difficult to obtain however Captain Farid El Bahnassawi assisted in obtaining one import permit. Furthermore, the Minister of Culture Tharwat Okasha assisted in obtaining approval to open a branch in the Egyptian Museum (the initial request was placed since 1928); it started with one small table than in 1972 changed into a shop hence enhancing the development of the business touristic section to offer publications in many languages; le café du musée was added in 1992.
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Kurt Lambelet used to visit Switzerland often. Once in 1968 - a year after 1967 war - and while visiting Kummerly & Frey publishing house in Bern who are famous for producing high quality maps, he discovers that they are producing a map for Israel including Sinai and the Nile valley. Kurt asks to produce a similar map but only covering Egypt and hence the first detailed high quality map for Egypt was introduced.
January 15, 1969 – Georges Angelidis leaves the company to establish a section for Al Ahram news paper to be responsible for importation of books and postcards.
In 1979 Kurt Lambelet obtains the Egyptian nationality.
1982 Etty passes away.
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Lehnert photo's exposition in Lausanne Switzerland September 12/November 11, 1991, is a great success.
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March 11, 1997 Kurt Lambelet passed away aged 92. Before his departure he wrote FIAT VOLUNTAS TUA (Thy will be done) he is buried in the Swiss cemetery in Cairo.
Kurt spoke fluently German (and Swiss German) and French. In Egypt he learned to speak in English, Italian, Greek and Arabic. He memorized daily new expressions (even Nubian) to the delight of his entourage.
Edouard Lambelet
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Swiss national born in Cairo 1937, spent his childhood and youth in Egypt. In 1957 he leaves for Switzerland to do his military service and finish secondary school. He then enrolled at the University of Hamburg where he obtained his doctorate degree in geology 1968. He worked as a geologist for about 10 years with Shell Oil Company. Edouard came to Egypt as of 1975, he joined his father bookstore in 1979 along with his wife Roswitha. Kurt is in charge of the art division (postcards, calendars, papyrus etc), Edouard is in charge of the library and touristic editions while Roswitha is in charge of the museum branch.
A new company is formed July 9th 1979 with Kurt Lambelet, his son Dr. Edouard Lambelet and Captain Farid El Bahnassawy; the name is changed to "L & L, K. Lambelet, El-Bahnassawi & Co." many postcards are now printed locally in Cairo at Nubar printing house, the touristic books section is the best in the country.
The black and white photographs are out-dated after WW II. Photographic plates stacked in some hidden corner of the library are quickly forgotten and covered by fine dust of Egypt.
In 1982 Edouard discovered over 6,000 old black and white glass photograph plates left in the shop attic. He engaged himself for the next two years in a long and hard process of restoring and sorting those plates.
A new revival phase began with these treasures that captured the lifestyle and culture of Egypt, Tunis, Algeria and Palestine at the beginning of the twentieth century. These treasures roamed Europe and Egypt in exhibitions, got printed in numerous books and most of the glass plates are now stored in the Musée De l'Elysée in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Farid El Bahnassawi retires and withdraws from the company on February 28, 1985; the business continues as "L & L, Kurt & Edouard Lambelet".
January 2001, Director Mahmoud Abdel Aziz is an associate; Edouard Lambelet dedicates his time to researching L&L photographs.
2004, the Egyptian Museum branch is closed; a new branch is opened in the Nile Hilton Hotel (which was later also closed in 2010).
2006, a branch is opened in Khan El Khalili, Salhiya Mall (closed 2016).
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Following January 25th 2011 popular uprising, tourist activity came to a sharp decline. The shop is now three sections: Black & white photos, books and Egyptian handicraft products.
2013, following reorganization, the name is changed to "L & L Egypt".
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Despite changing the sign to indicate that it is an "Anglo-German Bookshop" (photo above), the shop is still known among the elderly in down town Cairo as the German bookshop; with only eight years short of a century it has become a real Cairene landmark.
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For over three generations, this shop has helped preserve and document almost each and every place of significance in Egypt and the Middle East; other then monuments and sites, it has preserved proffesions, homes, the ways of live and the faces of ordinary people.
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Relying on tourism the business is today at its lowest ever, it was however one day the best bookshop in Egypt for touristic publications, it was - and still is - the Mecca for academics and researchers in the early history of the region, it is the common stop for the sophisticated tourist offering a quiet reading place.
Amongst the many guests who enjoyed this opportunity was the late president Mohamed Naguib; Dr. Edouard Lambelet recalls the late president visiting the bookshop from time to time, he knew the workers by name and greeted them, his father Kurt Lambelet used to assist him in the selection of reading material then leave him in peace - sometimes for hours - with the captured moments of past history .. in black and white.
The Lehnert & Landrock Logo is a world famous trade mark. The business which started in down town Cairo 1924 is running from the same bookshop on Sherif Street since 1934 and has been the subject of many academic research, studies and publications. It is today one of a handful ongoing Swiss establishments still remaining in Egypt of the past glorious days.
Meanwhile, the book store original Post Office Box remains unchanged since 1924, carrying number 1013; not an unlucky number after all.
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The Author is grateful for Dr. Edouard Lambelet for reviewing and enriching the above text.
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September 2016
