The following analysis of the writing on the back of this picture is provided by Marianne Jaffke. Many thanks to Marianne and her father, who have unlocked the mysteries of these pictures!

Several people wrote on the back of this picture. It appears that is was originally sent by Frau Jaffke to her husband. Later, Alfred sent the picture to his brother, Frank.

The backside of this picture contains the following message, apparently written to Alfred by his wife:

"Mein lieber Mann endlich / muß ich dir auch mal / besuchen hoffentlich wirst du / uns kennen den[n] schreibe mir / doch gleich zurück ob du gleich /gekannt hast Brief folcht / Tausend herzliche Grüße u. Küsse / sendet M / u. Kinder"

This is translated as: "Dear loved Husband, / I have to visit you finally. / I hope you will remember us. So write me / back soon if you remember us. -- A letter follows. / 1000 greetings and kisses / your M. / and children." We don't know what name the initial "M" stands for, but it seems apparent that this was to Albert from his wife. Marianne Jaffke writes that this section is full of mistakes, mostly spelling errors. For example, M. writes Brief flocht, "like she would speak it with the pom. dialect. But the correct word is folgt."

A stamp that could either be the sender (the photo agency may have sent it), or the addressee. It reads as follows:

Kunst-Anstalt / u. ????????ungs-Institut / Walter Schmidt / Berlin N20 / Stettiner Str. 64

Translation: Artist school and ????????-Institut named after 'Walter Schmidt' in Berlin

A comment by Albert: Das ist meine Frau (This is my wife).

In the background you can see a note by the photographer, but a big part isn't visible. Under meine Frau is written:

///////////"t. dem Soldaten" / ///////////"zu senden" ("to send to the soldier" ????)

This is a note by the photo agency: "Jaffke Gr. Dübsow" and "190a"

On the bottom of the poscard there is some information about the photo agency:

"Photogr. Peganau & Finck, Stolp i./Pom." (a photo group called "Peganau & Finck" in Stolp, Pommern)