“Samlad” is a name of a peninsula, also called “Sambia”, in the region of East-Prussia, now in the Kaliningrad province of Russia, on the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea. It was part of the German Empire as of 1871, but following WWI it was separated from the rest of Weimar Germany by the creation of a Polish Corridor.
Samland was an amber-producing region but it was also famous as a tourist destination, known for its beautiful beaches, dunes, high cliffs and thick forests. In the 1920s the “wild” and untouched nature was back in fashion. Samland was just that – secluded and pristine. It was also the heyday of seaside resorts and Samland’s baths, spas and beach promenades became a holiday attraction.
Nivelli’s short documentary was probably a promotional film commissioned by the resorts in the region or by some governmental tourist agency. The film presented the following locations:
- The Baltic Sea spa Rauschen
- The cable railway of Rauschen
- The Baltic Sea spa Warnicken
- The Wolfs Gorge [Wolfsschlucht]
- The lighthouse of Brüsterort
- The Baltic Sea spa Neukuhren
- Bathing culture in Neukuhren
Photo Gallery
Below are some of the locations as they looked in those years, which can demonstrate what this documentary might have looked like:
(click on any photo to start a slide show)
