Langen

For centuries, Langen was primarily an agricultural community until it gained economic significance in 1813 when it was elevated to a market town. After the abolition of guild restrictions in 1866, trade flourished. This book begins at that time, telling an exciting chapter of everyday life in Langen between 1880 and 1980. Furthermore, it serves as a companion reading to the exhibition of the same name at the Museum Altes Rathaus. City archivist Herbert Bauch, together with Inge and Horst Helfmann, has selected 170 mostly unpublished photographs from the photo albums of long-established Langen families and from the city archive's collections. These images capture the everyday lives of working people in traditional crafts and trade, which have largely disappeared today. They illustrate significant changes in the urban landscape.