Kessler family life in 1931

Hansi's first vacation (2 reels)

Film

FILM ID 4538: Teil I. Lizzy Film Produktion. Mitglied des Klubs der Kinoamateure Osterreichs. At a train station, men in uniform waving flags. The frame pulls back as if the filmmaker is on a train leaving the station. Image of a boat on the water being seen through binoculars. On a boat, Hansi is looking over the railing and waving to the camera. Hansi is joined by his Father. “Hansi’s erste Reise”. 01:01:31 “1931.” “I Teil." Hansi ist schon 2 1/2 jähre alt.” “Italien Sein Reisezeil" “Am Strand von Laurana” Homes by the large lake with mountains in the background. “Ausblick auf’s Meer” Footage of several small boats on the water. “Die Feisenkuste” Two men in a rowboat and a group of men and women are lounging on the rocks by the water. “Der Weg ins Bad.” “Die Strand Promenade” Hansi’s father and Hansi walking along a pathway and looking over the railing. 01:03:35 Hansi wearing a white hat playing in the water by the shore. “Nur Vorsicht!” Hansi standing in the water and sitting on the edge of the water. “Hansi Schwimmt” 01:04:46 Hansi playing in the water holding on to his Mother and then holding onto his Father in the water. “Ringelspiel” Hansi being spun in the water. “Im tiefen wasser” Hansi holding onto a rope and laughing. “Die Wasserratte” Hansi wearing a straw hat splashing in the water. “Die Sache wachst ihm uber den Kopf”. Hansi wearing a straw hat and playing in the water. Three women sitting in bathing suits in the water at the shore. Hansi walking up and down stone steps. “Hansi denkt an zu Hause.” 01:07:51 Hansi pointing to his forehead by the stone steps.Hansi holding a rock-like object in the water. A man sitting in shallow water and Hansi is splashing him. “Hier wird fotographiert.” Hansi is holding on to an object and playing with it. Woman doing a handstand in the water and a group of fellow swimmers watches. Hansi holding black bathing suit and playing in the water. “Vom Bad nach Haufe.” “Hansi macht sich’s bequem.” Hansi on his Father’s shoulders walking on boat, then walking along a pathway and up a set of stairs. FILM ID 4539: Teil II. Handwritten titles in German: "Hansi erste Reise" “II. Teil.” “Nach Abbazia.” 01:00:18 Image of a large ship. People standing on a walkway/pier overlooking the water. A building is in the background. A boat sailing in the water. 01:00:32 Hansi and his Father walking and holding hands. A boat sails toward the dock. A man in a nautical uniform on the pier while the boat approaches. People sailing on a boat. “Im Kurpark von Abbazia.” Hansi walking with his Father along a tree lined pathway. Hansi runs towards the camera. “Kleine Rast” Hansi sitting on a bench with his Father eating ice cream. “Abbazia” “Hotel Quareno” 01:02:10 Large majestic hotel with mountains in the background. “Tanz Beim 5 Uhr Tee” Men in suits and women in dresses sitting at tables dining outdoors and dancing on a large patio overlooking the water. Hansi sitting at a table with his Father, who is wearing a striped suit jacket. “Aussicht von der Terrasse” Terrace over looking the water. “Motorskoring” Waterskier. “Mit der Kamera auf Mowenjagd.” Large homes overlooking the water and birds flying over the water. “Das Flugzeug Brioni-Fume” Seaplane landing on the water. “Auf Dem Dampfer” Hansi looking out on the water while riding in a boat. Hansi is standing on a bench and holding on to the railing. Hansi then wears his Father’s striped suit jacket. He is smiling and walks towards the camera. 01:06:05 “Wieder am Strand.” Hansi playing in the water and waving at the camera, wearing a straw hat. "Ein bisschen training.” Lizzy swimming in the water. “ In allen Lagen gerocht.” Hansi wearing a straw playing in the shallow water. Hansi holding on to a rope in the water and smiling at the camera. "Moskiena” 01:10:30 “In Medea.” Hansi throwing stones in the water. “Der Monte Maggiore” Footage of mountains. “Abendfrienden.” Hansi on a boat. View of the lake and sailboats on the water. Ende.

Excerpts of films made by Lizzy Kessler (15 rolls)

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15 rolls of trims from Lizzy Kessler's film collection.

Slow-motion dancing scenes

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A study of the cinematic filming of movement (dancing) in slow-motion. This reel was located among Lizzy Kessler's personal amateur recordings.

Outtakes from a comedy film about a family eating (3 reels)

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Outtakes from Lizzy Kessler's comedy film "Familie Unterernährt isst Gansl Lustspiel in 2 akten" (RG-60.7029)

A short film about Hansi's "film career"

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Family vacation at sea in Opatija

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Lizzy Film Produktion. Mitglied des Klubs der Kinoamateure Osterreichs. “Ferien am Meer. Abbazia 1933”, “Ankunft in Abbazia” (00:00:36) A planes flies overhead and then lands on the water in Abbazia (Opatija, Croatia). A ship, the Lorenzo Marcello, comes in to dock. Hans [Hans Otto Kessler] watches the boat, possibly with his father Jakob. Sailors peek out of the port holes. “Blick vom Meer” Camera shows the harbor and waves crashing. “Fröhliche Tage” (00:03:33) A women, possibly Lizzy, rides a board being pulled by a boat in the water. Hans smiles while he watches Lizzy. “Springkonkurrenz” Hans practices jumping into the pool and swimming with his parents. “Wettschwimmen” Hans continues swimming and then hangs on the feet of the person filming. “Stürmische See” (00:07:10) Lizzy films stormy waters and Hans watches.”Meeres stimmung” A boat in the ocean. “La Madonnina” A statue of the Madonna sits on top of a rock in the water. “Abschied” (00:09:17) People get back onto the ferry from earlier. The boat leaves. The waterplane is shown again. This time it is taking off.The ocean. “Ende”

Comedy about a family eating

Film

Lizzy Film Produktion. “Familie Unterernährt isst Gansl. Lustspiel in 2 akten” “Es folgen nun zu diesem stück die akteure: alle disk” “Glühlampen putz ich bei der watt doch ess’ ich gans sind alle platt” (00:00:36) A man addresses the camera in a slightly exaggerated way. “Ich bin immer renitent das ist mein temperament” A women (possibly Lizzy or her mother/mother in law) smokes and talks. “Ich bin der susi, den a jeder kennt hochintelligent” Jakob? speaks to the camera. “Eine mastkur soll ich machen? Ah, da muss ich selber lachen!” Lizzy? speaks, then laughs. “1.Akt” (00:01:23) Man in chef costume looks at the set table. “Johann Lässt den gong erbeben gleich wird die tafel sich beleben” Man playing the chef hits a gong then pulls out a chair for [?] while Jakob and Lizzy sit. “Nun kommt das gansl schon daher doch vaters sessel ist noch leer.” An empty chair. Family discusses. Waldi [the dachshund] gets in the chair and eats food.”Im Kaffeehaus Sitzt er g’wiss bei ultimo pagat und sküss” The family plays a card game. They eat a meal. Special effects with reversed footage to make it seem like chef is magically picking up wine bottles. “Der letzte bissen liegt bereit doch jeder zeigt sich abgeneigt” The family discusses the meal. “Plӧtzlich. Kurzschluss” “Doch jeder wollt für sich den bissen der susi hat es büssen müssen” Two forks are pressed into Jakob's hand. The card game continues. [?] checks the time. “Gewonnen hat er viel jetzt erhebt er sich vom spiel” “eilt nach haus zum ganslessen das trinkgeld hat er nicht vergessen” They light cigarettes. “O schreck, jetzt kommt der vater und nichts zu essen hat er.” Man points to an empty serving dish. “Will er gansl auch am end?” “Zurück zum regiment” Re-wound footage of the family eating. “Der vater kommt sieht auf die uhr dann zieht er den gewinnst hervor” A man, possibly one of the couple's fathers, takes a wallet out of his pocket and shows his money. He sits down to eat. “Nun hat er nach der gans gestochen den braten hat er nicht gerochen” He continues to eat. “Staunend sehen alle zu. Wie die gans verschwindet’ im nu.” “Der vater nicht zu halten ist, zurück bleibt nur der knochenmist” The plate of food is almost empty. “Vom fleische blieb zurück kein hauch man sieht es hier an diesem bauch” The man who was eating now has a large stomach from eating so much. “Das gansl druckt ihn fürchterlich ins geheime schleicht er sich” Man has a sour look on his face while shaking his head and rubbing his stomach. He hobbles away. “Ende”

Two short films: Hansi eats; Hansi grows up; amateur film equipment and studio; toys

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Lizzy Film Produktion. “Bei der Sause” Two people, possibly Jakob and mother, talk while a man eats with Hansi [Hans Otto Kessler]. Lizzy? (Hansi’s mother) sits down to eat. The family drinks coffee and breaks bread. “Wenn munt’re reden sie begleiten…” Hans learns how to cut bread. “Speck und jam passen gut zum kaffee” Hans feeds the man. “Die fetten bissen verschlingt der patterbom” The man with a mustache, possibly Lizzy’s father, cuts food for Hans. “Ende” 01:03:09 Lizzy Film Produktion “Dem leben eines” “Filmstars” “1 Teil” “Hansi beschӓftigt sich” “Die morgen lekture” “Hansi ist hier 21 monate alt” Hans at 21 months old. He knocks over a table. Waldi the dog walks by. “Eine nützliche beschӓftigung” Hans waters the plants. “Hansi’s Kletterschule” Hans takes on some big stairs. Crawling up and down them. “Und jetzt den garten kehren” “Opalalalala!” Hans walks around the garden with a sweep. 01:05:12 “2. Teil” “Hansi besteigt den kobenz” Hans walks behind a man. “Kaum koṁt der schattenfroh nach haus, lässt Hansi ihn schon nicht mehr aus” He follows the man down the path. “Der stocki-schirm-tanz fӓngt jetzt an, dann folgt das weitere program” Hans holds on to two umbrellas and dances around while his family watches. “Nun auf den kobenzl geschwind wo kühe, ziegen, hendeln sind.” Hans plays with another child. They hold hands. “Zarte annäherungsversuche” “Achtung grossaufnahme!” Hans is lifted into the kobenzl. “Adieu” Hans waves. “Ein fettfleck in der landschaft” A woman walks in front of a hilly landscape. “Pi-pi-pi-pi” Hans and a man feed some chickens. “Manchmal irrt sich hansi klein verliebt das brot sich selber ein.”Hans eats some of the bread meant for the chickens. Hans walks around. He hangs onto two umbrellas carried by a man. “Vor dem kuh-stall” Hans looks into a cow stall then walks around an outdoor seating area while holding a cane. “Noch schnell eine erfrischung” Hans walks with a man who is possibly his grandfather down some stairs then runs towards the camera. “Auf wiedersehen” Camera films the road while walking away. 01:10:00 “3. Tiel” “Die siesta” “Hans zaehlt schon 2 Jahre“ Hans plays in his bed with little toy horses. “Hansi im filmatelier” Hans plays around in the film studio. “Hansi putzt die leinwand!!” Hans paints on a canvas. “Auch die froschperspektive hat ihre reize” Hans sits like a frog. “Hansi interessiert die kamera” Hans checks out the other camera in the room. He then makes funny faces for the camera. “Hansi macht hokus pokus” Hans stands in front of the canvas waving around an object. “Hansi im bad” “Die wanne gleicht einem aquarium” Hans plays with his toys in the bath. “Vor dem christbaum” Hans looks through his presents in front of the Christmas tree. He finds a toy car and plays with it. “Sooo viel neues Spielzeug” Hans shows off some of his new toys. “Ende” Brief shot of water from a boat.

Visiting Italy

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Lizzy Film Produktion. Mitglied des Klubs der Kinoamateure Osterreichs. “Riccione 1932” “Domus Mea. Unsere Pension” (00:00:25) Hans and his father Jakob Kessler walking out in the yard in a rented pension in Riccione, Italy. “Gang ins bad” Hans plays with a dog. Lizzy shows a sign above the gate that says, “Domus - Mea” and Jakob and Hans walk out of the gate under it. “Das meer” (00:01:41) Jakob and Hansi run and play along the beach. “Der strand” Hans and Jakob on the beach. “Badeleben” Lizzy is doing handstands in the water and then practices different swimming strokes. “Wettlauf” Hans and Jakob race each other on the sand. “Schwimm-Lection” Hans learns how to swim with the help of his father and a flotation device. Hans then walks around with his sailboat then races with his father again. Jakob swims in the water. “Dic Altstadt Rimini” (00:06:38) People ride around on bikes in the old town of Rimini. Hans walks with his family. “Das Augustus Tor” Hans and his family walk under the Augustus Gate “Alter Hof” Hans and his family walk through another historic site. “Auf der Fahrt nach San Marino” (00:07:53) Hans sits in the car and waves and smiles at the camera. “Die Erste Fahrt der neuen elektrischen Kleinbahn: Rimini-San Marino” An electric train goes by. Hans smiles and points to something in the distance. “Die Republik San Marino mit ihren alten, steilen Gässchen” The family walks through the streets. “Platz vor dem Rathaus” The square in front of the town hall is shown. “Hansi auf dem Söller” Hansi and the family wave from a balcony. “Im Innern” They walk through the streets. “Beim berűhmten Muskateller in der Grotta” (00:10:19) Hans eats a meal with Jakob. “Rückfahrt” The family gets ready for a ride. Hans opens his mouth wide. “Allein im Weltmeer” Hans swims in the ocean. “Gradara mit der mittelalterlichen Burg, in der Franceska da Rimini ihre Untreue mit dem tode basste.” (00:12:00) “Der Glockenturm” Hans and Jakob walk under the bell tower and up a steep street. “Die Zugbrűcke” Jakob and Hans walk across a drawbridge. “Alles Knipst” Lizzy and a man take pictures. “Blick auf die Burg” Jakob and Hans are seen walking in front of the castle and through the castle grounds. “Blick in den Burghof” “Fussball” (00:13:51) Hans kicks around a ball on the beach with his father Jakob. “Sturm” Rough waves hit the shore and a canoe. Hans is on the sand and runs away from the waves. “Ende”

Cactus breeding; gymnast; skiing in Grinzing; boy plays with a telephone

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Lizzy-Film Produktion. "Heute Doppelprogramm" “Wochenschau Feber 1931” [Alice Kessler's amateur version of a weekly newsreel.] “Kakteenzucht Ziechentrick” “Sehr schnell waechst hier der Kaktus, die Pflege man verstehen muss.” A series of cactus graphics appear on screen, interspersed with film of live cacti. Cactus breeding. 01:02:05 “5 Minuten Akrobatik” “Ausgefuehrt von Frau Hilde Altmann Gymnastiklehrerin” “Aufgepasst!!” A woman performs a gymnastics routine indoors. 01:03:17 “Grinzing im Schnee” Passers-by carry wooden skis as they walk through the snowy streets of the Austrian city of Grinzing. “Winter im Garten” Snowy garden (brief). “Waldi Freut Sich” The Kessler Family's small dog (Waldi) frolics through the snowy garden. Hansi (Hans Otto Kessler) is bundled in winter gear and walks down the snowy street. He holds hands and maneuvers through the street with an older man (his father?). Passers-by carry wooden skis. “Hansi in Seinem Element” Hansi walks through the snow. A graphic of a skier along with German text, “Alles Lauft Ski”. Animated graphics of skiing. “Die Ski-Weise” MS, snowy ski hill. Five people ski down a hill holding hands. “Am Steilhang” More shots of the skiers. 01:07:39 “Aufnahmen: Frau Lizzi Kessler” [Lizzy (Alice) Kessler is the mother of Hans Otto Kessler.] “Hansi Beim Telephon. Hansi 2 ¼ Jahre” Hansi sits on a chair with the phone to his ear. “Halllooooo!” “Da Stimmt etwas Nicht!” Hansi continues to play with the phone with holds the speaker end of the device to his face; he is perplexed. “Hochinteressant” Hansi with the phone. ENDE

A short film about the Kessler family dogs

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Lizzy-Film Produktion. Mitglied des Klubs der Kinoamateure Oesterreichs. “Unser Hundeparadies” “Sultan, ein Bernhardiner, 3 Monate Alt” “Waldi, ein bissiger Dackel Eva---Mitze” “Hansi, sein herrl, zwei statisten” “Ort Grinzing” “Freunde” Hans Otto Kessler (Hansi) plays with two dogs. The dogs tug on what appears to be a fabric scrap. “Eva stoert den Frieden” The dogs chase a cat and play in the sun. “Drei Monate spaeter” The dogs play in the snow. “Zeit-Vertrib” A woman (possibly the camera operator and Hansi's mother, Alice) entertains the dogs with a stick and they continue to play in the snow. “Sie Fuehren ein Leben wie junge Hunde” The woman throws snow for the dogs to fetch. She then tosses what appears to be her hat in the air for the dogs to catch. “Ein Ausflug” MS, open entryway of apartment/home with sign to the left of the door “Lizzy… “ (?) A man (possibly Alice's husband, Jakob) struggles to walk the dogs as they pull him across the cobbled street with streetcar tracks. Automobiles parked. Passers-by with skis. “Nordpolparadies Grinzing,” The dogs rough-house in the snow. “Heimkehr” Street view, the man again walks the dogs on a sidewalk beside parked vehicles. The dogs are muzzled. “Spiel im Schnee” The dogs play in a snowy, gated garden. The dogs continue to wrestle in the snow. “Wir Halten Zusammen!” The dogs wrestle and chase each other through the gated porch. “Wir Halten Zusammen!” title repeats. Inside, Hansi plays with the dogs. The Daschund sits on an elegant cushioned chair. “Ein Paradiesiches Futter!” The dogs eat from porcelain bowls placed on white towels. Hansi poses in between the dogs. CUs, eating. “Uns Geht's Gut!” The dogs soak up the sun. ENDE

Two short amateur films featuring Hansi and the Kessler family pets; Hansi visits Schonbrunn zoo

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Lizzy Film Produktion. Mitglied des Klubs der Kinoamateure Oesterreichs. “Unsere Lieblinge” “HANSI” “2 ½ Jahre alt” “Sie leben wie Hund und Kat” “Wer ist er” “Bucht Buster Keaton” “Nicht Charlie Chaplin” “ER” Graphics of dogs. “Ruht Friedlich vor Seinem” “Weekendhaus” “Horch! Ein Geraeusch!” Animated dog, dog house. “Was ist denn da los?” Graphics of the dog and dog-house again. “Wutend!” The dog wags his tail while sitting in the dog house. A cat appears. “Die Streitlustige Nachbarin” “Sie!” “Animated cats standing on top of a building, hissing at the barking dog. “Auf einen wurf!” Cats hiss at barking dog. “Sehen wir uns die beiden in natura an” “zu ebener erde” Shifts to actuality film of Waldi in his dog house lined with hay. He jumps out of the dog house. “Und im ersten stock” Cats play in a small wooden structure. A mother cat bathes the kittens. “Bei der Malzeit” Four cats drink milk and play in a film camera carrying bag. Hans Otto Kessler (Hansi) plays with one of the cats. The cat is on his shoulder. Hansi holds and cuddles the cats. 01:04:34 “Aufgepasst!” “Hansi erzhalt eine Geschite!” Hansi sits in a rocking chair outdoors. “Eine Kleine Magenstaerkung?” CUs, Hansi in the rocking chair. “Waldi Freut Sich” Waldi, the daschund, runs around the yard. “Sein Leibgericht” Waldi sniffs the grass. “Ersatz fuer punktroller?” Waldi runs and rolls around in the grass. “Waldi will spazienen Gehen” Waldi plays in the yard with a man. “Hansi Arbeitet” Hansi sweeps with a broom. “Eine wichtige angelegenheit” “Gabelfruehstueck” Hansi sits on a blanket in the yard eating something. He tries to remove the cork from a bottle. “Kann nicht!” The child serves himself from the bottle and takes a sip. “Der Wein ist etwas sauer” Hansi eats and drinks. “Der Tierfreund” Hansi plays with the cats. He holds and cuddles them. The cats walk on a cushion. “Idyll” Hansi continues to play with the cats when Waldi, the daschund appears. 01:10:11 “Hansi in Schoenbrunn” The child goes to Schoenbrunn. “Zebras” Hansi observes the zebras and walks around with a man (possibly his father, Jakob). They hold hands. Hansi looks at the zebras. “Wisente” Shot from behind, Hansi looks at the bison. “Bison!” More shots of the bison. “Beim Schonbrunner” “Peppi.” Animated elephants running. Switches to footage of the elephants at the Schoenbrunn visited by Hansi. “Eisbar” Polar bear in cage. “Tiger” Tigers visible inside gate. “Der Loewe scheint sich zu langweilen” Graphics of a lion. Switches to footage of the female lions in the Schoenbrunn, yawning. “Auf Wiedersehen” ENDE

Hansi turns three; dream sequence with special effects

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Lizzy Film Produktion. Mitglied des Klubs der Kinoamateure Oesterreichs. “Hansi’s Geburtstagstraum” “Momentbilder bis zum dritten Lebensjahr” “Hansi ein Jahr alt.” Hans Otto Kessler [Hansi] runs around a tree, and then eats an apple. A German title reads, “Hier spielt er Sich mit seinem Hund” Hansi holds a shovel, standing over a small dark puppy in a wheel barrow. A German title reads, “Die Gartenarbeit ist gesund” The child gardens holding a rod of some form and has an object in the mouth. The child giggles and smiles in a bath tub as someone rinses them. “Am Telephon, 2 Jahre alt” Hansi sits on a dark leather couch and plays with a telephone. “Mit 22 Monaten in Kobenzl” An older man in a pin striped jacket feeds chickens with Hansi, two adults in the background. A German title reads, “Das Patterbom” Older man holds the young child. “Mit 23 Jahren” Hansi in a sailor suit sits on a blanket outdoors, cuddling tabby kittens. “In Lovrana” On holiday in Croatia, Hansi floats in a lake, and holds on to a rope for support. “Morgen ist Hansi’s 3. Geburtstag” Hansi in tie and suspenders at a desk playing with toy building blocks. He then rests his head on the desk. “Der Traum” In this dream sequence, Hansi continues to rest his head on the table as a set of candles hazily fades in and out of the shot (special effects). The boy lifts his head and raises his arms while the image of the candles on a cake is reflected on his face. Hansi seems excited, and raises his arms again. The boy appears resting on the desk, surrounded by his building blocks. In another dream sequence, Hansi rides his tricycle over a shot of the boy sleeping with his head on the desk. “Wie Hansi’s Wunschtraum sich erfuellt” Hansi dressed in a Native American costume, playing with a toy train, and tricycle. These toys are his birthday presents. “Ich der bin Springende Hir Ich” “Hugh, ich habe gesprochen!!” Hansi continues with his new indoor tricycle. ENDE