Photography Waldersee Barracks and the German-Asian Bank in the German Legation

A black-and-white photograph showing the Waldersee Barracks and the German-Asian Bank in the German embassy or legation in the Legation Quarter in Beijing (Dongjiaominxiang 東交民巷). The latter was situated between 1861 and 1959 in the area of the Inner City (Neicheng 内城), east of present-day Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang 天安門廣場) and south of the Forbidden City (Gugong 故宫 or Zijincheng 紫禁城).

The German presence in China was important. It reached its symbolic peak in July 1901, shortly after the assassination of diplomat Clemens von Ketteler (1853-1900). At that time, the Chinese courtier Chun (Chun Qinwang Zaifeng 预親王載灃, reigned 1908–1911), the father of the last Chinese emperor Pu Yi (reigned 1908–1912, 1917), travelled to Germany to pay homage to the German emperor.

On August 14, 1917, China declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary and ordered the appropriation of the Austrian concession. The Austro-Hungarian army temporarily joined the German army. After the defeat by the British and Japanese forces, many soldiers and sailors fell into Russian and Japanese captivity. The officers, including Ivan Skušek Jr., served their captivity in Beijing. The Waldersee Barracks are named after Baron Alfred Graf von Waldersee (1832–1904), Field Marshal General and Commander-in-Chief of the German Army in China.

The German-Asian Bank (Deutsch-Asiatische Bank) was a foreign bank in China whose main business was trade finance. Together with English and French banks, it also issued Chinese bonds and financed the construction of railways in China.

The photograph is the 26th of 449 photographs of Beijing and its surroundings in the album of Ivan Skušek Jr., purchased during his stay in Beijing (1914–1920). In the handwritten inventory of the album, the photograph is referred to as Deutsche Gesandtschaft: Waldersee-Kasernen u. Deutsch-asiat. Bank. (DZ)