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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

Walter Mittelholzer recognized how aviation could transform everyday life during the First World War. He was a pioneering pilot, travel writer, and photographer. By using aviation to discover and document the world, he successfully merged his interests into one singular passion.

Mittelholzer grew up in Switzerland. The Swiss remained neutral during the First World War. He observed the use of aircraft in warfare. As soon as he understood the concept of aviation, he realized that people would be able to travel freely and efficiently around the globe. He learned to fly in 1917. He became a military pilot in 1918. He formed a photographic and aviation company with Alfred Comte. Comte was an aviation pioneer and enthusiast. They offered passenger flights to various destinations. Mittelholzer took aerial photographs of the countries they traveled through during their flight. These were some of the very first aerial photographs taken.

In 1920, Comte and Mittelholzer merged their airline with the Zürich-based airline Ad Astra Aero. This new venture eventually became Swiss Air. Mittelholzer achieved many aviation firsts during the 1920s. He was the first pilot to fly over Kilimanjaro, the first to fly over Mount Etna, the first to fly north-to-south over the continent of Africa in 77 days, and the first to document his flights with aerial photography and film. Mittelholzer planned to document the world from the Air long before Google Maps. However, he never succeeded. He died while climbing in Austria.

Mittelholzer produced over 18,500 photographs in his lifetime. These are now housed at ETH Library’s image archive in Zürich, Switzerland. They remapped our visual understanding of the world. For the first time, people could see the land they lived on.

#1 Mount Etna.

Mount Etna.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#2 Madrid.

Madrid.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#3 Madrid City Centre.

Madrid City Centre.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#4 Seville.

Seville.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#5 Cadiz.

Cadiz.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#6 Algeciras.

Algeciras.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#7 Arcos.

Arcos.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#8 Brenes.

Brenes.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#9 Coast of Spain at Cape Trafalgar.

Coast of Spain at Cape Trafalgar.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#10 Ebro Valley near Osera.

Ebro Valley near Osera.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#11 Gibraltar.

Gibraltar.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#12 Monte Bellavarda, Italy.

Monte Bellavarda, Italy.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#13 The Colosseum, Rome.

The Colosseum, Rome.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#14 Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican, Rome.

Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican, Rome.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#15 Mount Etna, uppermost crater.

Mount Etna, uppermost crater.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#16 The Alps.

The Alps.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#17 Port Louis du Rhone.

Port Louis du Rhone.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#18 Morocco.

Morocco.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#19 Algiers.

Algiers.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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#20 Algiers.

Algiers.

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The Pioneer of Aerial Photography: Walter Mittelholzer Documented the World from the Air, 1920s

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Written by Jacob Aberto

Sincere, friendly, curious, ambitious, enthusiast. I'm a content crafter and social media expert. I love Classic Movies because their dialogue, scenery and stories are awesome.

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