http://www.english.hadhramaut.info German Helfritz’s photographs exhibition opened in Mukalla [The Source: Hadhramaut.info with inputs from the Yemen Times - 21/04/2007] The deputy of Hadramout Governor, Mr. Omear Mubark Omear and the German Ambassador in Sana'a inaugurated the exhibition of the German photographer and musical ethnologist Hanz Helfritz’s travels to Yemen that took place over three times during 1931-1935. Helfritz (1902-1995) was a composer, a travel author, a music ethnologist, an explorer, an adventurer, a photographer and a cameraman. He traveled from one place to another in Yemen and recorded different aspects of Yemenis’ life in different areas, especially in Al-Mukalla, Sayun, Aden, Mareb, Sana’a,and Zabid. In his photos, Helfritz documented the way in which Yemenis lived then, reflecting part of their cultural heritage. He also wrote many books about Yemen and spoke about some funny stories he underwent including his imprisonment in Mareb’s Hareeb by Imam Yahya who was doubtful about his [Helfritz] travels. Upon his visit to Shibam Hadramout, he was enchanted by the city’s beauty and nine-to-ten-storeyed clay houses. Thus, he was prompted to call it the “Chicago of the Desert”. In his silent film Brick Production and Buildings in the Wadi Hadramaut, he showed in details the way by which Shibam locals mix and make the bricks they used for building their oldest sky scrapers.