This silent film by Georg Eduard Albert Krugers is a rare personal documentary of his journey in 1928 from Indonesia (then the Dutch East Indies) to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, with a group of pilgrims performing the Hajj. Krugers' commentary in texts on screen provides a personal commentary on the events unfolding. It is reflection of the rich and shared cultural heritage of Indonesia and the Hijaz region of Arabia.
The film premiered in Leiden, the Netherlands, on November 8, 1928. This premiere was attended by numerous Dutch socialites, including Princess Juliana, and given an introduction by Dutch Orientalist Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje.
It is believed that this was probably the first ever film of Mecca and the Hajj watched by audiences in Europe.
Journey to Mecca is an IMAX® dramatic and documentary feature that tells the amazing story of Ibn Battuta, the greatest explorer of the Old World, following his first pilgrimage between 1325 and 1326 from Tangier to Mecca.
His perilous journey resonates with adventure while presenting an unforge...
Hajj is very much the final frontier for the Muslim; the only pillar of Islam that requires a single execution. Yet the journey to the House of Allah symbolizes man’s true end: a return to the Divine Creator. Dr. Ramon Harvey explores Imam Ghazali’s “The Secrets of the Hajj” explaining the pilgri...
Dr Martin Lings, a writer and scholar revered all over the world, performed the Hajj, or pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in 1948. Using unique archive material, he recollects his experiences along with his insight into its historical background. The original beauty and simplicity of the Hajj...
