Cover: Cologne - Fire Alarm Telegraph | Cable / Comm.

Address:

Classen-Kappelmann-Straße 47, 50931 Köln, Germany

Category:

Cable / Comm.

City:

Cologne

Country:

Germany

Shape:

Square

Material:

Metal

Used by:

Maker:

Odenthal Brothers

Year:

Standards:

Tags:

Very old cover

Click here for a map that contains other covers in the area.

On the cover:

GEBR. ODENTHAL KÖLN-E
FEUERTELEGRAPH

Photography:

2026
Ariel Rubinstein

Comments:

The cover likely dates from the early twentieth century. Before telephones were common in every home, European cities (including Cologne) established a network of “alarm boxes” in the streets. When a fire broke out, a citizen would run to the nearest box, break the glass, and pull a lever. This action sent a telegraphic signal (in Morse code or a simple digital code) directly to the central fire station, which could immediately identify the location of the box.

The cover protects the communication manhole through which the dedicated telegraph cables of this system passed.

Translation of the text on the cover:
Odenthal Brothers Cologne-Ehrenfeld
Fire Telegraph

Cologne - Human Rights Path (Menschenrechtspfad)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (340 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - The Right to Participate in Cultural Life ( Article 27)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (342 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - Freedom of Opinion and Expression (Article 19)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (345 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - Right to Freedom of Science (Article 27)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (347 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - Right to Asylum (Article 14)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (350 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - Right to Asylum (Article 23)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (352 Meter)

Cologne - Memorial plaque to Edith Stein - philosopher, nun and saint
Dürener Str. 89, 50931 Köln, Germany (101 Meter)

Cologne - "Together" outdoor sculpture by Stefan Kaiser
Bachemer Str. 16, 50931 Köln, Germany (240 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path (Menschenrechtspfad)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (340 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - The Right to Participate in Cultural Life ( Article 27)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (342 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - Freedom of Opinion and Expression (Article 19)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (345 Meter)

Cologne - Human Rights Path - Right to Freedom of Science (Article 27)
Bachemer Str. 27, 50931 Köln, Germany (347 Meter)

Cover: Cologne - Fire Alarm Telegraph

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