German Postcards Predicting the Year 2000 (1900)

In the early 1900, German chocolate manufacturer Hildebrands Deutsche Schokolade has produced a series of colored postcards showing their p...

In the early 1900, German chocolate manufacturer Hildebrands Deutsche Schokolade has produced a series of colored postcards showing their predictions of what the year 2000 is in store. Although new technologies (X-ray, telephone, automobile and airplane) were already invented or in the early stages of infancy, the vision of the future are still based in the present. Of course, the Germans did most of the modern technologies we had.

Here were their predictions and you judge what they thought our time was (well, it's already 15 years ago!):

A Stroll on the Water

Walking on water? Not sure if we already invented the technology that allows us to do it but we do have personal transportation that allow us to somewhat glide over water - jetskis.

Moving Pavement

We already have this type of moving pavement but not as a primary means of transportation from point A to point B.

House-Moving by Train

From recreational vehicles to building moving machines, we already have this technology but a steam-powered locomotive pulling a skyscraper to a new location is so impractical.

Theater broadcasting

Television appeared in our daily lives 30 years later and the Germans were one of the first to have regular television broadcasts starting with the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Personal Flying Machines

Although we now have airplanes, gliders and parachutes that allow us to fly to a certain degree. We don't flapping flying contraptions that allow us to have cigar in the air like a boss!

Weather Control Machine

Although we have cloud seeding technology that will help us create clouds and the precipitation that goes along with it. We still have to develop a system that will allow us to complete control and manipulate the weather. Our planet is still bettered by natural calamities from tornadoes to hurricanes.

Combined Ship-Railway Locomotive

Hybrid land-sea vehicles have never ceased to capture our imaginations. We have cars that run on water from James Bond's Aston Martin to the latest inventions but it seems having it on a grander scale is impractical. We all preferred airplanes for long-distance travel.

Undersea Tourist Boats

Submarines are now common in different sizes and shapes and undersea tourism is now the norm, although not like that version 100 years ago.

Roofed Cities

Some people don't want to get wet in the rain. Having a glass roof all over you may do the trick but are you prepared to be cooked alive when greenhouse gases accumulate in the city?

Personal Airships

Holy Zeppelin! Personal airships that will help us travel anywhere? Not really practical as flying with an extremely flammable gas is very dangerous. Besides, most hot air balloons are operated just for pleasure and not a practical means of air transportation.

Summer Holidays at the North Pole

Although we can now go there if we really want to but the the question is: Who really wants to visit a frigid landscape just to see polar bears, walruses, penguins and maybe some occasional Inuits?