TopFoto Blog

London is the ultimate destination for magic and music this month, with two groundbreaking new productions of The Magic Flute opening simultaneously for Christmas. Kenneth Branagh’s new film version opens in UK cinemas on Friday 30 November and Mark Dornford-May’s new South African stage version opens Thursday 29 November at the famous Young Vic Theatre, in repertory with the same cast’s magic-infused A Christmas Carol.

The Royal Opera House, London, will also be running a production of Die Zauberflöte from 28 January 2008 to 1 March 2008

TopFoto’s gallery celebrates the enduring fascination with Mozart’s beloved opera, and the highly original South African adaptation of A Christmas Carol (Ikrismas Kerol).

Click for The Magic Flute gallery

1104157 - Mhlekazi Andy Mosiea plays Prince Tamino in the new production of The Magic Flute adapted and directed by Mark Dornford-May, opening at the Young Vic Theatre, London on 29 November 2007 ©Andrew Brown / TopFoto
1105138 - Ben Davis as Papageno in the new film version of The Magic Flute directed by Kenneth Branagh, opening in UK cinemas 30 November 2007 ©Rolf Konow / TopFoto

Founded by Leopold Ullstein in 1877 ullstein bild rapidly established itself as the leading publisher in Germany of newspapers and magazines such as Berliner Illustrirte. Included in the 10000 employees were many outstanding Weimar Republic photographers whose work suvived intact the perils of war.

The company broke up during the political turmoil of WWII but during the 1950s ullstein bild reasserted its position as a leading picture agency and was taken over by publisher, Axel-Springer in 1959.

After a century of growth the ullstein bild picture archive of news photography and photojournalism was, and still is, providing real life pictures - on all areas of life, from all around the world, from the beginnings of photography until today.

In the 21st century ullstein bild is now scanning its archives which are available in the UK in English at TopFoto.co.uk

Click to search directly in ullstein bild

History of Germany from the ullstein bild collection

1871-1938 | 1939-1945 | 1946-1961 | 1962-1988 | 1989-2007

TopFoto’s in-house scanning team today passed a 10,000 milestone for the glass plate negative project, part of the company’s rescue and digitisation of archive imagery.

This rare and lovely material from the 1920s to the 1940s, the key “retro” decades, is crystal quality and every detail shows.

The company celebrated with a round of chocolate éclairs, before getting back to the task of scanning more negatives for the website and TopFoto customers.

Click here to see a tiny selection of images found in the glass plate negative project

0015444 - Tired out before the start - Waterloo, August 1920 ©Topham / TopFoto
0818691 - Lady Diana Manners (Lady Diana Cooper), starring as Queen Elizabeth, helps out with the camera during the shooting of minor scenes in “The Virgin Queen”, 26 October 1922. ©Topham / TopFoto

50 years ago, on 17 February 1958, a group of prominent British citizens – including Bertrand Russell and Canon John Collins – launched the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), claimed to be the largest single issue peace campaign in Europe. TopFoto presents a select “life and times” gallery of CND.

Click here for 50 years of CND

0023200 - The first London to Aldermaston march 8 April 1958 ©Topham / TopFoto
0544313 - CND flag in front of British soldiers at a 2002 protest ©PA / TopFoto

The global debate rages on obesity – dangerous epidemic or gross exaggeration? In the UK, this is arguably the most important moment in social health since the Peckham experiment (Pioneer Health Centre 1926-1950) studied the use of architecture, food and exercise to prevent disease (before the NHS focus on cures).

A sign of great beauty or a sign of greed – whatever the take on size throughout the ages it has rarely been as passionately debated as it is today. TopFoto presents an illustrated history of the fat issue.

The Big Gallery

rv5135-6 - Advertisment for a slimming course - 1895 ©Roger-Viollet / TopFoto