Gezicht op restaurant Helbigs in Dresden 1891

This photograph, taken by Stengel and Markert, captures the Helbigs restaurant in Dresden. The composition is dominated by the Elbe River, which reflects the urban architecture of the city, and the riverbank crowded with buildings. Note the flags fluttering atop the buildings; they are a universal symbol, historically used to signal ownership, allegiance, or even defiance. Think back to ancient Rome, where vexillum standards marked legions, or consider the banners of medieval knights. Over time, the use of flags has evolved. Once symbols of authority, they are now emblems of identity and belonging. There is a tension in how these symbols endure, adapted to new contexts yet still resonant with ancestral meanings. The emotions evoked through the image of these flags trigger a kind of collective memory, a subconscious nod to the historical and cultural lineage embedded within symbols. It stirs something primal and enduring within us, a silent acknowledgement of history's persistent presence.