Designs and visual representations in toy products incorporated both historical and modern elements of a national culture – this combination was presumably attractive to the public. For example, during the First World War, Anker-Richter manufactured the Fortresses (Festungen) Series for the Austrian market. One of the illustrations in the Series’ manuals depicted a very intriguing combination: a medieval-looking rider co-existed with a concrete bunker and modern cannons. In this image, military ideals bridged a mythical past with present-day concerns. One wonders what young users and their parents would make of this anachronistic and bizarre co-existence of disparate elements. The contradictory nature of this illustration presents a telling example of the ambivalence towards modernity: the new was desired but also feared, while the old could be a source of consolation and security.
