When we think back to the past, it can sometimes feel quite nostalgic. For some of us we way feel a great surge of happiness, while for others it can be painful to remember the hurt and suffering that they and so many people experienced.
But only by looking back at old photo’s can we truly get an insight into what it really was like to live in a different time. We have some amazing pictures to show you that have equally astounding stories to tell. So just sit back and let your imagination travel back in time.
Person Defying Nazi Salute, 1936
The Fuhrer may have captured the lands and the countries, but he did not capture the heart of valiant humans, one of whom did not bow down to his regime.
Nikola Tesla And His Magnifying Transmitter
Tesla was famous for his experiments on Alternating Current. Here he is seen conducting an experiment on his life-size Faraday Tower in his famous laboratory.
Protestant Husband And Catholic Wife’s Grave, 1888
This picture was taken in Germany, where a loving husband and wife, who followed different religions, were buried side by side.
Austrian Boy Receiving New Shoes During WWII
The resources and money were limited all around the world during World War II. Austria was captured by Germany during the war. Here you see a boy in Austria happily rejoicing while receiving a new pair of shoes.
First Woman To Compete In Boston Marathon, 1967
In 1967, the then 20-year-old, Kathrine Switzer, made history by becoming the first woman to officially run in the Boston Marathon. In this picture, you can see the race officials trying to stop her from running.
Unbroken Seal Of Tutankhamun’s Tomb, 1922
The greatest of the Egyptian Pharaohs was buried for around 2000-3000 years before his grave was finally dug up and the seal was broken to see what lay inside. All the archaeologists who discovered him died under mysterious circumstances.
Workers Painting Eiffel Tower, 1932
You can see the workers in this picture painting the Eiffel Tower. From this height, the view down there makes my head spin. I don’t know how these men managed to finish the job.
Sweden Changes From Left Hand Drive To Right Hand Drive, 1967
Sweden was one of the few countries in Europe which used to adhere to a left hand drive. This photograph was taken when it changed to a right hand drive to comply to the European standards.
Unknown War Soldier In Vietnam, 1965
This is the photograph of an unknown US Army soldier who did not like the war. He understood that all of this destruction would amount to nothing.
Animals Used In Medical Therapy, 1956
Duck chicks being used for animal therapy in a hospital ward. Here you see a child responding to the therapy positively. It brings a lot of warmth to your heart.
Giving CPR To Electrocuted Worker, 1967
A friend in need is a friend indeed. Here you see an electrical worker trying to resuscitate a friend, who has received a big electric shock, by giving him mouth-to-mouth CPR.
First Woman To Be Arrested For Indecency In Australia, 1907
Annette Kellerman promotes women’s rights to wear a fitted one-piece bathing suit in the year 1907. These swimsuits were banned in those times so she was arrested for indecency.
106-Year-Old Armenian Woman Guards Her Home, 1990
An Armenian centenarian is seen carrying an AK-47 in Degh village, near the city of Goris in southern Armenia, near the border of Azerbaijan. She has seen many conflicts, hence the gun.
Albert Einstein With A Friend On Nassau Beach, 1939
Einstein sits with a friend on Nassau Beach on Long Island. This photograph was taken after the legendary scientist travelled to the US and received his citizenship.
The Last Known Photo Of The Titanic Above Water, 1912
The Titanic set sail on April 10, 1912. It then sank on May 31st. This was one of the last days it was seen sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, unaware of the terrible future that lay ahead of it.
Grotto In An Iceberg, 1911
This vessel was photographed during the British Antarctic expedition on 5th Jan 1911. The Terra Nova Expedition, officially the British Antarctic Expedition (1910-1913). It was led by Robert Falcon Scott.
Hannah Stilley, Born 1746, Photographed In 1840
This was the first ever photograph to be captured on film, making this woman the first ever person to be photographed.
The Beatles’ First Public Performance
The Beatles performed for 18 people in the Aldershot club, December 1961. They then went on to become the greatest band in history.
The First Ever Underground Train Journey, Edgware Road Station, London, 1862
If you love riding in the underground subway or the tube, then have a look at what it was like one hundred and fifty years ago. It looks quite scary, given the fact that the carriage is open.
Woman With A Gas-Resistant Pram, England, 1938
A fully covered gas-proof pram which was an innovation during the first and the second world war. Poisonous gases were used as part of the warfare.
Elvis In The Army, 1958
No, Elvis is not sad at being enrolled in the army. It is the heat and the exhaustion that resulted in this expression. He was actually very enthusiastic for being a part of the US Army.
Customers At A London Music Store, 1955
Customers sampling music in music portals in a London Store in Harrow, Middlesex. Earlier, before there were headphones, cabins or portals like these were very popular.
Safety Cages In An Apartment Building, 1937
Safety baby cages were used to ensure that children got enough sunlight and fresh air, while staying safe in an apartment, in the year, 1937
Measuring Bathing Suits, 1920s
Beach Inspectors measuring bathing suits worn on the beach. If these dresses were too short, then the women would be fined on the charges of obscenity. But this was way back in the 1920s.
Little Girl With Her Doll Sitting In The Ruins Of Her Bombed Home, London, 1940
The bombings by German aircrafts had destroyed half of London, but the people were far more willing to fight the Nazis by not bowing down to all this atrocity.
Georges Blind, A Member Of The French Resistance, Smiling At A German Firing Squad, 1944
When the Nazis went to war with the French Army, they were able to get a momentary victory. But some brave French man showed the SS Army the middle finger by smiling in the face of death.
Father Going To War As Child Asks Him Not To
“Wait for me, Daddy,” boy says to soldier father. This photograph was shot by Claude P. Dettloff In New Westminster, Canada on October 1, 1940.
Sailor Kissing Nurse, Times Square, August 14, 1945.
When the war finished in 1945, there was a Victory March on the streets of America. Here you see a young sailor kissing a nurse in the spirit of victory.
Audrey Hepburn Shopping With Her Pet Deer “Ip” In Beverly Hills, Ca, 1958
Have you seen all of Audrey Hepburn’s movies? In some of these films, you must have seen a small fawn, which was her very own pet called, Ip. Audrey is seen shopping with her pet in a superstore, buying cereal for the deer, perhaps?
African Americans Protest Against The War In Vietnam During The Harlem Peace March, 1967
Afro- American groups on the streets protesting against the Vietnam War. Nobody was supporting the war and there were a lot of public protests against it. The Harlem Peace March was one such event in Manhattan.
Three Men Run In The Marathon At The First Modern Olympic Games, 1896
These were the first Olympic games that were held in 1896. Here you see three men running the first ever marathon in the Modern Day Olympics.
Harley Davidson’s First Factory, 1903
Every big brand had its humble beginnings. Here you see a small log cabin serving as the warehouse for Harley Davidson motorbikes.
The First 5 Mbyte Hard Disk Loaded To A Panam Plane, 1956
Back in those days, 5MB was a lot of space and it required bulky apparatus to be stored. Nowadays, you can do that on a USB drive instead. How times have changed.
View From The Top, On The Opening Day Of The Empire State Building, 1931
The opening day of the Empire State Building in New York City on the 1st of May, 1931, where you see people looking out at the view from the top. At that time, it was one of the tallest buildings in the world.
Charlie Chaplin At The Age Of 27, 1916
Charlie Chaplin looked more like a homeless guy than an actor. No wonder he played a vagabond in most of his movies. He went on to become the most celebrated actors in Hollywood’s silent movies.
The Normandy Descent
Operation Overlord – codename for the Battle of Normandy, saw the Allied operation launching a successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe. During this battle in World War II, nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on 6 June. In this picture you see the troops going into the water.
The News Of Titanic Sinking
Newspaper boy, Ned Parfett, sells copies of the evening paper bearing news of Titanic’s sinking the night before on April 16, 1912.
Painting WWII Propaganda Posters, Port Washington, New York, 8 July 1942
War propaganda was hot during the 1940s. Here you see a group of US ladies preparing posters to campaign against the Nazi Armies and its alliance.
Coca-Cola Comes To France, 1950
Coca Cola was invented back in the 1880s, but it was patented much afterwards. Then it was exported to Europe. It reached the French Union in the 1950s and here, these men are waiting for their first ever sip of the beverage.
Factory Workers Race On The Roof Test Track Of The Fiat Factory In Turin, Italy, 1923
FIAT workers testing out the cars on a test track that was built on top of a building. It looks like the Italians love to race, even on the top of a high building.
Titanic Departure, Southampton, UK, 1912
The ship leaving the Southampton shores of the United Kingdom. Nobody knew that this giant ship was going to sink at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
Mother Puts Her Children Up For Sale, Chicago, 1948
Poverty was so rampant in some neighborhoods in the USA. Chicago was one such state. In this picture, you see a mother putting her children up for sale.
Workers Having Lunch Atop A Sky Scraper, 1932
The construction workers having their lunch on top of a skyscraper and you have to give them credit, for not many men would be able to sit at this height, let alone eat.
Bird’s Eye View Of JFK’s Funeral In The Capitol Building, November, 1963
Another victim of assassination, the 47th President of the United States, John. F. Kennedy, being laid to rest after being given the full state honors.
The Glasses John Lennon Wore When He Was Assassinated, 1980
John Lennon was assassinated by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980. This pair of glasses has been saved to this day, as a museum relic.
Times Square, 1947
Times Square looks as majestic as ever, even back in the day. This was a photograph that was captured in the 1950’s and you can see a band perched on top of a carriage playing to lift the mood of the people, two years after the end of the second World War.
Dressing The Bride, 1890s
Bride dressing was a ritual in itself because it was extremely difficult to get the bride dressed in her garments before the arrival of the 20th century.
Norway Receive Their First Ever Shipment Of Bananas,1905
Norway is one of those countries where you don’t find any tropical fruits like bananas, mangos and pineapples growing. Naturally, when the country received it’s first shipment of bananas, it got the local fruit traders excited.
Early Morning Train, Japan, 1964
Japanese people work around the clock. Here you see early morning commuters who have left for the morning shift by train. They are engaging in a deep slumber before they reach their destination.
Che Guevara And Fidel Castro Fishing, 1960
The serious revolutionists of Cuba, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara spent some time chilling out fishing in a riverboat. The sailor was lucky to get captured in a photo with these two men.
East German Soldier Jumping Barbed-wire Fence 1961
The East German soldier skips over the fence into the West German border to go to his own home. Not a lot had changed back then when there was a lot of unfinished business on both sides when the wall was being built.
Street Life In London, 1876
London’s streets were way different than they are today, but the hustle and the bustle is the same. So much so, the spirit of London has never changed.
Broadway At The United States Hotel, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 1900-1915
Broadway used to look so pleasant even way back when. The tree-lined pedestrian’s path and the horse-drawn carriages are what shows that it is from a different era, otherwise not much else has changed.
Dmitry Medvedev As A Young Man, 1986
The Russian politician who is presently serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, was a young man once upon a time. This is a picture when he was 21 years old. Ah, the age of innocence!
Arnold Schwarzenegger In New York For The First Time In 1968
Arnold Schwarzenegger during his first visit to New York after he left Austria. He is mesmerized by the Empire State Building in this photo.
Women At Work During WW2, 1942
Women have always rubbed shoulders with men in every field. In fact, in some places their skill and intelligence far outstrips the men’s. Here you see a woman helping a man in repairing an aircraft engine.
Interior Of A London Pub, 1898
Drinking was popular in London even before the 20th century began. Here you see a unisex bar, in which both men and women could have a good time.
Elvis Backstage, 1956
Elvis Presley did not become a success over night. He had his own moments of breakdown. Here you see one of those tender moments where the self-proclaimed King of Rock and Roll shows his human side.
Keith’s Bicycle Track, 1901
Keith’s bicycle track was one of the few places in the USA where cyclists could train themselves for the race. The track had a fearful banking, and could help cyclists train for a sloped elevation.
Children Exercising In A School Yard, 1900
School kids in Russia undergoing necessary exercise in the school establishments. No wonder the Russians are known to have excellent strength.
Bondi Bay, Australia, 1900
Bondi Beach has always been a big attraction. Since dressing appropriately was necessary in Australia at the beginning of the 20th century, you can see so many fully covered people on the beach.
A Flight Simulator In 1942
Flying was not as sophisticated as it is today, but it still attracted a fair share of people. In this picture you see a bunch of young men trying out a new flight simulator.
Elton John At The Piano Bar Aboard His Private Plane, 1976
Elton John was always a man of luxury. Here you see him playing a piano in his private aircraft bar. It looks like Elton cannot live without his music at any point in the day.
Elijah Wood & Macaulay Culkin, 1993
Two greats of Hollywood in one frame. They were the best of friends back in the day. Both of them still keep in touch and neither of them do as much acting these days.
Barack Obama With His Junior Varsity Basketball Team
Barack Obama as a sophomore with the junior varsity basketball team at Punahou School, Honolulu, in 1977. He still showed the same amount of leadership and caring for his teammates back then, as he did when he was President.
Cutting The Big Trees
No words for this one. One can only say, they shouldn’t have done that. One, these people cut down an old relic. And two, they are indulging in deforestation, which is not a good practice in itself.
Django Reinhardt Plays For Duke Ellington
Here in this picture you see two musical geniuses, Duke Ellington and Django Reinhardt. Django’s playing gave sound to the spirit of the Jazz Age in Paris.
The Original Ronald Mcdonald, 1963
The origin of Ronald McDonald involves Willard Scott, a local radio personality who also played Bozo the Clown on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. He performed using the moniker Ronald McDonald, the Hamburger-Happy Clown.
The World’s First Female Fighter Pilot
Sabiha Gökçen was a Turkish aviator. She was the world’s first female fighter pilot, aged 23. Others such as Marie Marvingt and Evgeniya Shakhovskaya preceded her as military pilots in other roles, but not as fighter pilots and without military academy enrollment.
An Injured Survivor Of The Hindenburg Smokes As He Is Carried To Safety, 6 May, 1937
The German aircraft crashed to the ground with a lot of fatalities. Here you see an injured man being carried to receive medical attention in hospital while also enjoying a smoke.
People Swimming Around The Kaaba, The Holy Place Of The Muslims, After A Heavy Rain
A Bahraini man, Ali al-Awadhi, became famous after he was photographed performing Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba), during the 1941 flood which caused the Kaaba to be surrounded by water.
Fifth Solvay International Conference
The International Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry, located in Brussels, were founded by the Belgian industrialist Ernest Solvay in 1912. These were the most intelligent people in those times.
Russian Occupation Of Prague, August 21st, 1968
A Russian tank in Wenceslas Square, Prague, Czech Republic. On August 20, 1968, the Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia to crack down on reformist trends in Prague. Although the Soviet Union’s actions successfully halted the pace of reform in Czechoslovakia, it had unintended consequences for the unity of the communist bloc.
Unknown Finnish Soldiers After Sauna, Continuation War
Sauna is a big part of Finnish identity, even in wartime. Finnish soldiers during WWII had a few spectacular sauna tricks up their sleeve and they used to build saunas anywhere and everywhere.
First Ever Elephant In Bulgaria, Named Nal, 1915
The first-ever elephant, named Nal, was brought into Bulgaria, which did not have any animal of this sort before this. It was intended to be imported to the Sofia Zoo. He is used as cattle here. Elephants were used on farms during World War I after horses and mules were drafted to aid in the war.
The Most Beautiful Suicide
Evelyn Francis McHale, an American bookkeeper, took her own life. She committed suicide by jumping from the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building. Photography student Robert Wiles took the picture.
Debbie Reynolds Entertains Troops In Korea, 1954
Debbie Reynolds in Seoul, South Korea in May 1955. She is seen singing to 5,000 people who jammed the Seoul Military Post baseball field during the “Johnny Grant Galaxy” show.
Louis And Lola, The Only Children To Be Rescued From Titanic
The real names of these kids are Michel and Edmond Navratil who were rescued after the ship sunk in the Atlantic ocean. There were many survivors whose nearest and dearest had perished after the ship struck an iceberg.
First Picture Showing A Human Being, Paris, 1838
The first photograph of a human being where you are clearly able to see a recognizable human form. It was taken in Paris, France, in 1838 by Louis Daguerre. The human in question is seen standing on the pavement and he is having his boots shined.
Circus Hippo Pulling A Cart, 1924
Circus hippo is seen pulling a cart in the year 1924. It’s not very common these days to see a hippo-drawn carriage, but back then there were no laws on animals pulling carts.
Unpacking the head of the Statue of Liberty, 1885
Unpacking the head of the Statue of Liberty, which was delivered on June 17, 1885. The Statue of Liberty was completed in Paris in June 1884 and presented to America by the people of France on July 4, 1884.
Testing Of New Bulletproof Vests, 1923
WH Murphy and his assistant from the Protective Garment Corporation of New York. The live demonstration took place at the Washington City police headquarters.
Hindenburg Disaster, May 6, 1937
The Hindenburg disaster occurred on May 6, 1937, in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States. The German passenger airship, LZ 129 Hindenburg, caught fire and 13 passengers and 22 crewmen were killed in the tragic accident.
Annie Edson Taylor, The First Person To Survive A Fall From The Top Of Niagara Falls In A Barrel, 1901
She was one of the few female daredevils who performed one of the greatest stunts of her time. Annie Edson Taylor was a schoolteacher who performed this stunt when she was 63-years old, just for money. It’s amazing that she survived.
Advertisement for Atabrine, anti-malaria drug, in Papua, New Guinea during WWII
When malaria was rampant all around the world, Atabrine used to be the only medicine that could nullify the effects of the disease. Here is an advertisement which tells that you might not survive if you don’t take this medicine.
Soldier Feeds A Banana To A Goat During The Battle Of Saipan, 1944
The Axis Alliance and the Allied Forces fought against each other in the Pacific Islands. In this picture you see a US soldier feeding some bananas to a goat.
Construction of the Berlin wall, 1961
The Berlin wall being constructed during 1961. A great nation fell into a divisive reign owing to the difference in government administration perspective. Soldiers are seen helping in the construction of the wall.
Bookstore Destroyed In London During An Air Raid, 1940
A bookstore was destroyed during an air raid by the German air force. The bookstore owner gave away all his books for free. Here you see a boy choosing the books he wanted.
Walter Yeo, The First In The World To Undergo Advanced Plastic Surgery And Skin Transplant, 1917
This man had lost skin around his eyes due to a freak accident. His facial skin was reconstructed using skin from his thighs and legs. He was also labeled as a freak by his neighbors despite being a nice man.
Suntan Vending Machine, 1949
Can you even imagine this? A suntan vending machine was installed in Palo Alto, California where tanning liquid could be sprayed onto the skin.
Martin Luther King With His Son, Removing A Burnt Cross From Their Front Yard, 1960
The head of the racial equality movement, in the 1960s, Martin Luther King used to face a lot of hatred himself. Here you see him with his son with a burnt cross in his front yard.
Hotel Owner Pouring Acid In The Pool While Black People Swim In It, 1964
Racism was so prevalent in the US way back in the 1960s, and there was violence everywhere. Like, in this picture, you see a hotel owner pouring acid into a swimming pool where black people were swimming.
Lifeguard on the coast, 1920’s
Here’s how lifeguards in the US used to look back in the roaring 1920s. They did not resemble David Hasselhoff from the popular TV show, Baywatch, did they?
Artificial Legs, UK, 1890
Here you see a happy girl who is wearing her first pair of prosthetic legs. She was one of the first recipients of artificial legs. No wonder she is so happy because she must have stood up on her own for the first time.
Mom And Son Watching The Mushroom Cloud After An Atomic Test In Las Vegas, 1953
In those days, Atomic Power was something new, and not many people were aware of the harmful effects of atomic and nuclear reactions. A mother and son watch an atomic explosion out of their window.
Hitler’s Officers And Cadets Celebrating Christmas, 1941
Hitler was still going strong in 1941 and it wasn’t until 1942 when Hitler would start losing to the Allies. His first loss would come at the hands of the Red Army at Reichstag Square, where Hitler had his biggest defeat. So this was the last celebratory Christmas for the Nazi Army.
Christmas Dinner During The Great Depression With Turnips And Cabbage
The times of the great depression were full of poverty. People did not have money to buy a turkey or even a small chicken for a Christmas dinner. In this picture, children are seeing enjoying a turnip and cabbage feast.
Last Prisoners Of Alcatraz Leaving, 1963
Alcatraz was one of the most infamous prison faculties in the US. The most notorious of prisoners, the likes of Al Capone, were kept there. Slowly, the prison was closed down. Here, in this picture, you see the last batch being moved out of the prison.
Destroyed Wax Mannequins After A Fire At Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum In London, 1930
Have you ever imagined what could happen if Madam Tussaud’s museum caught fire in the present times? It happened 90 years ago when a portion of the museum was destroyed in a fire that lasted for hours.
A Space Chimp Posing In Front Of The Camera After A Successful Mission To Space, 1961
Before humans went to space, flights were tested on animals to find out whether such expeditions were safe or not. Here is one of the chimps who had been sent on one such mission. He returned successfully.
Illegal Alcohol Being Poured Out During Prohibition, Detroit, 1929
Alcohol had been banned during the great depression, but it was still being produced illegally in the hidden quarters of big states and cities of the US. Here you see one such establishment being raided and the alcohol being disposed of.
Princeton Students, Freshman vs. Sophomores Snowball Fight, 1893
Back in the day, the snowball fights in US colleges were quite violent. You can look at the swollen faces of the students as proof.
