Albert Kahn (banker) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert Kahn
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Albert Kahn at his office in Paris, 1914
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| Born | 3 March 1860 Marmoutier, Bas-Rhin, France
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| Died | 14 November 1940 (aged 80) Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France
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| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Banker and philanthropist |
| Known for | Archives of the Planet |
Albert Kahn (born March 3, 1860 – died November 14, 1940) was a French banker. He was also a philanthropist, which means he used his money to help others. He is famous for starting a huge photo project called The Archives of the Planet. This project lasted 22 years. It created a collection of 72,000 color photographs and 183,000 meters of film.
Contents
Albert Kahn's Life Story
His Early Years
Albert Kahn was born Abraham Kahn in Marmoutier, France. This was on March 3, 1860. He was the oldest of four children. His father, Louis Kahn, was a Jewish cattle dealer. His mother, Babette Kahn, stayed at home.
When Albert was ten, his mother passed away. After a war between France and Germany in 1871, his family moved. They went to Saint-Mihiel in France in 1872. He continued his studies there until 1876.
In 1879, Kahn started working at a bank in Paris. He also studied for a college degree in the evenings. His teacher was Henri Bergson, who became his friend for life. Albert graduated in 1881. He also met famous people like Auguste Rodin. In 1892, Kahn became a main partner at the Goudchaux Bank. This bank was very important in Europe. He also helped students travel to study more.
His Later Years
A big economic problem called the Great Depression ruined Kahn's wealth. This also stopped his amazing photo project.
Kahn passed away in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, on November 14, 1940. This was during the time when Germany had taken over France in World War II.
The Gardens of the World
The Gardens of the World (French: Les Jardins du Monde) was a special garden Albert Kahn created.
In 1893, he bought a large piece of land in Boulogne-Billancourt. Here, he built a unique garden. It had different styles, like an English style and a Japanese style. There was also a rose garden and a forest of pine trees. This garden became a place where smart people from France and Europe met. This continued until the 1930s.
Because of the Crash of 1929, Kahn lost all his money. The garden then became a public park. Kahn still enjoyed walking there. The garden mixes different styles, like French, English, and Japanese. It was like a dream of a peaceful world where different cultures could live together.
The Archives of the Planet Project
The Archives of the Planet (French: Les Archives de la Planète) was a huge project. Its goal was to take pictures and films of buildings and cultures all over the world.
How the Project Worked
In 1909, Kahn traveled to Japan for business. He went with his driver and photographer, Alfred Dutertre. They came back with many photos from their trip. This made Kahn want to start a project to record the whole Earth with pictures. He hired Jean Brunhes to lead the project.
Kahn sent photographers to every continent. They used the first real way to take color photos, called autochrome plates. They also used early movie cameras. Between 1909 and 1931, they collected 72,000 color photos. They also gathered 183,000 meters of film. This collection is a special historical record of 50 countries. It is known as The Archives of the Planet.
Kahn's photographers started taking pictures in France in 1914. This was just days before World War I began. By working with the military, they recorded the damage of the war. They also showed how people tried to live their daily lives and do farm work.
The Albert-Kahn Museum
Since 1986, the photos have been kept in a museum. It is located at 14 Rue du Port, Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris. This is the same place where his garden was. It is now a French national museum. It includes four hectares of gardens. The museum also holds his old photographs and films.
See also
