Walter Friedrich Knips Amateur Film: Pakistan
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Knips, Walter Friedrich, 1911-1994
setName: label: See more items in
content: Walter Friedrich Knips films
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Film reel (silent black-and-white and color reversal; 250 feet, 8mm)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1953-1960
container: label: Container
content: Item 2015.7.1-3
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Moving Images
label: Type
content: Film reels
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: This film footage was assembled from two reels. The first reel is a mix of black-and-white and color. The black-and-white film is from the Walter and Eva Knips family's time in Pakistan, and the color footage is from their time in Houston. The second reel is entirely in black-and-white and is from the family's time in Pakistan.

Reel 1: The reel begins with black and white footage of Franziska Knips, as a toddler of two-and-a-half, wading in a shallow pool as her seated father, Walter, looks on. These first few scenes of Franziska with her parents, Walter and Eva, in swimsuits, take place in early 1953, most likely at the Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi where the family was required to live for several months, after their arrival from Germany and before the construction of their permanent home was completed. Footage moves on to show Franziska looking at a book and standing at a table where 4 candles are lit for her 4th birthday; Franziska discovers a tricycle stashed beneath the table, pulls it out and tries to get on with Eva's help; an audience of western children that have been invited for the birthday party watch as a man and boy urge their dancing monkeys to perform; Franziska with her tricycle poses for the camera and propels it around the home's open terrace with her feet on the ground; Franziska plays with a ball and laughs at the camera. A scene change shows a beach house setting where Eva, in a swimsuit and sunglasses, sits on the stoop and holds a book; Franziska shows off her sand toys; Eva and Lilo, a distant cousin of Eva's who has come from Germany to act as a nanny, eat lunch with Franziska. The next scene change shows Eva holding her newborn, a boy named Georg, born on December 8, 1953, at a Karachi hospital; Eva is watched over by women and nurses; Eva and the nanny Lilo leave the hospital with the infant; upon arriving at home, Franziska runs out ahead of Eva, Lilo, and baby Georg; all four sit at a table in the dining room; Abdul, the head manservant in a white turban, and two of the waitstaff exit the kitchen and bring food to the table; Eva, dressed in white blouse and shorts, and Franziska stand together on their terrace. Film footage switches to color and moves to Houston. Preteen children (Franziska Knips in a white striped bathing suit with frilly bottom) in swimsuits line up and walk toward the camera to play in the pool at the Knips family's home in Bellaire, Houston; boys and girls show off diving skills. Footage changes to scenes of a parade with floats, including one of a Mississippi River boat, a marching band, people in costumes, people on roller skates, and people carrying large puppets—Abe Lincoln, Thanksgiving turkey—most likely all part of an annual Texas Rodeo parade. Footage returns to family scenes: Georg eating while Karl plays with a ball; another group of preteens in swimsuits (Franziska in a black suit). Scene changes to an unknown harbor: ferrymen operating a train car ferry—railway tracks are visible; the ending of the tracks on a boat; the ferry cruises past the breakwater and enters the open harbor; views of the harbor; western women on the boat viewing the end of the tracks; and Eva, in a blue and white dress and white necklace, watches another ferry pass. Scenes of Georg and Karl sitting by the pool at their Bellaire home; Georg pulls frogs out of the pool; Georg rides his bicycle; Karl, dressed in a coat, is determined to ride the same bicycle and decides to position it next to the sandbox for an easier mount; rides off with ease; final scene of another swimming party that includes Georg and Karl.

Reel 2. A group of adults and children, wearing crowns and holding lantern sticks, parading ahead of St. Nicholas, who appears in a bishop's mitre and cape, and carries a sack of toys during a Christmas party organized by the German embassy for the German colony; a large assembly of dinner guests for Christmas in the courtyard on the embassy grounds;  black and white scenes of a boat excursion include Eva in head scarf, Franziska and nanny Lilo; Franziska hugs Eva; a final black and white scene shows Franziska riding her tricycle on the terrace of her home in Karachi, Pakistan.