How to show text on an old postcard?

I want to know the content of this postcard that my brother found in the family archive.
My attempt below.

out3112-1.tif (30,1 MB) 8 bit

out3127.tif (57,9 MB) 16 bit

This file is licensed Creative Commons, By-Attribution, Share-Alike.

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My version…

out3112-1.tif.xmp (12.4 KB)

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out3127.tif.jpg.out.pp3 (14.0 KB)

Pulling these out from the veritable noise floor due to 8-bit source file provided… Others who read German here maybe more helpful with the content.

Also, only the back of the post card is shown. The front side has a photograph which may not be as interesting to you, but would be most interesting to see— also in a RAW format, or if your flat bed does it, a 16-bit tiff.

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My attempt with dt4.21:


20230392_out3112-1-Adlatus.tif_00.xmp (22,4 KB)
.

20230392_out3112-1-Adlatus.tif_01.xmp (23,9 KB)
.

20230392_out3112-1-Adlatus.tif_02.xmp (9,5 KB)
.
With contrast equalizer:

20230392_out3112-1-Adlatus.tif_03.xmp (10,8 KB)
I have put 2 because if you can’t read well in one you might be able to read well in the other,

Greetings!

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Written on 17 September 1916 to Ms. Franciszka Strozynska in Albertshof by Municipality RĂźdnitz in Upper Barmin.

Postmarked the next day on 18 September 1916 in Weissenburg, Elsass (now Weissembourg, Alsace) sometime between 12 and 1 in the afternoon.

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And the postcard is from:

Füchler Foto-Werkstätte u. Handlung, Weißenburg i.Elsass
Fernruf Nr. 25 Barfüßerstraße 35a

A version which is not overly compressed in the chroma channels could help. For example, here is LCH’s C channel:


Looks quite nice, but when you zoom in, it’s all blocky due to compression:

Similarly, LAB’s B channel:


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Converted to linear light in the Gimp. Channel mixing to mono: boost red, reduce blue, drop green to remove most of the blots; then sharpened.
image

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Image →

In linear light mode, the sRGB curve (‘gamma’) is undone. It can be useful when processing. See PIXLS.US - Darktable 3:RGB or Lab? Which Modules? Help!

Sorry for the delay in replying. I put a 16 bit tif file in the first message.

Thank you very much for your work in reaching the content of the message.

Interesting.
Franciszka Stróżyńska is a Polish name, and Poland had to wait another two years to return to the World’s map in 1918.

I wonder what kind of story this postcard holds.

Also: During the years, Alsace/Elsass sometimes belonged to France, sometimes to Germany…

Thank you, @kofa!

That was a nice trick :slight_smile:
Your result was much better than my own meager attempts :frowning:

Have fun!
Claes in Lund, Sweden

I’d like to know too.
Below is a photo from this postcard.

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Probably one of the soldiers is the author of the text on the reverse. I don’t know the answers to the other questions.

My brother has been building a family tree and collecting family heirlooms for many years. This photo is one of many whose story I am trying to find out.

@anon42681393
Feldzug 1914-1916 = war expedition 1914-1916
Stube 15 = Barracks/room 15
IA(?) 60 = no idea :frowning:

Maybe IR = Infanterie Regiment? But not sure.

Yes, perhaps Infanterie Abteilung…
But @apostel338 is right. it could as well be “IR”…
Hand-written Fraktur can be a bit tricky.

I guess the salutation is “Liebe Schwester” (Dear sister), which probably gives a hint about the relationship of sender and recipient.

I would like to second kofa:

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The 60 is in reference to the German Empire XXI Army Corps 31st Division, 62nd Infantry Brigade’s 7th Brandenburg 60th Infantry garrisoned at Weißenburg since 1860.

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