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For the Railways – and for Photography: Swiss Federal Railways Photographic Service
Marc Ribeli
From the Journal: Rundbrief Fotografie
Published online:
6. June 2026
Abstract
In the course of their 125-year history, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have developed diverse styles of visual communication. Within Switzerland itself, their posters and films are well known. Photography is an integral part of those works. Since the 1920s, primary responsibility for producing photographic images of the SBB has lain with its Photographic Service. This paper reconstructs the history of that service and presents the holdings of the SBB Fotoarchiv that now forms part of the SBB Historic Archive and Collections. It also explains and summarizes the work that has been done on these vast holdings in recent years, and, by taking selected works as examples, attempts to show how their style and visual language have changed over time.
In the course of their 125-year history, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have developed diverse styles of visual communication. Within Switzerland itself, their posters and films are well known. Photography is an integral part of those works. Since the 1920s, primary responsibility for producing photographic images of the SBB has lain with its Photographic Service. This paper reconstructs the history of that service and presents the holdings of the SBB Fotoarchiv that now forms part of the SBB Historic Archive and Collections. It also explains and summarizes the work that has been done on these vast holdings in recent years, and, by taking selected works as examples, attempts to show how their style and visual language have changed over time.
Other articles in this issue:
Rundbrief Fotografie Issues
Volume 33 (2026)
Volume 32 (2025)
Volume 31 (2024)
Volume 30 (2023)
Volume 29 (2022)
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