Germany

Hedda Hammer (Morrison) was born in Stuttgart in 1908. She acquired her first camera, a Box Brownie, at the age of 11. Despite her parents' wish that she become a doctor, Hedda studied photography at the State Institute for Photography in Munich (1929-31). After graduation she worked as an assistant to two photographers: Adolf Lazi in Stuttgart and Olga Linckelmann in Hamburg. In 1933 Hedda made plans to leave Germany which was coming increasingly under Nazi control. She planned to travel to Yugoslavia, but this changed when she secured a job in Peking. She answered an advertisement in a German photographic journal and secured a job as manager of the Hartung's Photo Shop in Peking. The Powerhouse Museum houses a small collection of archival material relating to Hedda Hammer's early life in Germany.

93/179/5-2 Passport, for Marie Hedwig Hammer (Morrison), staple bound, grey cover, issued Stuttgart, Germany, 20 August 1932. 93/179/5-9 Report for Hedda Hammer (Morrison) from the Bavarian State Institute for Photography, paper, text in German, printed and hand written in black ink, Munich, Germany, 15 July 1931. 93/179/5-16 Graphologist's report, 1 page, for Hedda Morrison, typed text in German, no date. 93/179/5-3 Driver's licence, for Hedda Hammer (Morrison), papercard, printed text in German with attached black and white photograph, issued Germany, 1929. 92/1417 Camera and accessories in case, Linhof Satzplasmat, Germany, c. 1925-1932.
93/179/5-20 Book, 'Making pottery', written by Walter de Sager, photographs by Hedda Hammer (Morrison), Studio Publications, London, 1934. 93/179/5-17 Horoscope, for Hedda Hammer, paper, 2 pages, printed and typed text in German in black ink, Stuttgart, 1932. 93/179/5-4 Work reference for Hedda Hammer (Morrison) from 'Photographische Bildkunst-Lazi', paper, typed text in German in black ink and signed by Adolf Lazi, Stuttgart, Germany, 30 August 1932. 93/179/5-18 Driving certificate, for Hedda Hammer, printed and handwritten in German, marked with stamps, Stuttgart, Germany, 13 June 1929. 93/178/12 Exhibition brochure, 'Adolf Lazi', cardboard, black and white, Stuttgart, Germany, 1928.
93/179/5-19 School report, for Hedda Hammer (Morrison) from Queen Katherine Convent, typed text in German, stamped with school stamp, Stuttgart, Germany, dated 18 December, 1968. 93/179/5-5 Work reference for Hedda Hammer (Morrison), Olga Linckelmann Photographic Studio, paper, typed text in German in black ink, signed by Olga Linckelmann, Hamberg, Germany, 3 April 1933. 93/179/5-15 Graphologist's report, for Hedda Morrison, paper, 3 pages, printed and typed text in German in black ink, no date.