The photographer himself, amid some of the people he was attempting to rescue from poverty. Source: US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Exploring photographer Roman Vishniac’s archives of Jewish life before the Holocaust is to contemplate just how quickly politics and propaganda can transform—or eviscerate—an entire culture.
In 1935, Vishniac began to photo-document impoverished Jewish communities in order to secure aid for them through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. There are about 9,000 photo negatives in Vishniac’s archive, but only 350 of them were printed in the span of his lifetime.
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1 of 22Sharing school books at heder: 1935-38. Source: The New Yorker 2 of 22Many unseparated shots from the archive. Source: Art Blart 3 of 22Inside the Berlin zoo in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 4 of 22Dancers Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, New York: early 1950s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 5 of 22Inside the Anhalter Bahnhof, a railway station in Berlin in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 6 of 22Shop woman washing the windows of Mandtler and Neumann Speditionen in Vienna in the 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 7 of 22Emigration applicant meeting with an agent from the Aid Society of German Jews: 1937-38. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 8 of 22A day at the beach in Nice, France: 1939. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 9 of 22German family leaving the movie theater, Berlin: early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 10 of 22A flurry of happy children’s faces, Mukacevo: 1935-1938. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 11 of 22Warsaw Boy in front of kindling in a basement dwelling: 1935–38. Source: Art News 12 of 22Vishniac’s own daughter Mara in front of an election poster for Hindenburg and Hitler that says, “The Marshal and the Corporal: Fight with Us for Peace and Equal Rights,” Berlin: 1933. Source: Art News 13 of 22Boy standing atop a giant pile of rubble, Berlin: 1947. Source: Art News 14 of 22Young Zionists building a school and foundry while learning construction techniques, The Netherlands: 1939. Source: Art News 15 of 22Boys gathered in admiration of a motorcycle, Brandenburg: early 1930s. Source: Art News 16 of 22Berlin street photography; notice the swastika flag on the storefront: 1935-36. Source: Art Blart 17 of 22David Eckstein, seven years old, and his elementary school classmates in heder: 1935-38. Source: Art Blart 18 of 22A worker in a Jewish soup kitchen: mid to late 1930s. Source: Art Blart 19 of 22A Berlin street scene: 1926. Source: Art Blart 20 of 22Enjoying some time outdoors: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 21 of 22Bath time for siblings at home: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 22 of 22Like this gallery?Share it:
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What Jewish Life Looked Like In Europe Before The Holocaust View Gallery
Vishniac was a Russian-born Jew, who himself spent a number of weeks in a French internment camp, but was later released and moved to New York City with his family. After the war, he continued to photograph the less fortunate within Jewish communities.
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Disturbing Photos Captured Inside The Jewish Ghettos Of The Holocaust
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1 of 22Sharing school books at heder: 1935-38. Source: The New Yorker 2 of 22Many unseparated shots from the archive. Source: Art Blart 3 of 22Inside the Berlin zoo in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 4 of 22Dancers Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, New York: early 1950s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 5 of 22Inside the Anhalter Bahnhof, a railway station in Berlin in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 6 of 22Shop woman washing the windows of Mandtler and Neumann Speditionen in Vienna in the 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 7 of 22Emigration applicant meeting with an agent from the Aid Society of German Jews: 1937-38. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 8 of 22A day at the beach in Nice, France: 1939. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 9 of 22German family leaving the movie theater, Berlin: early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 10 of 22A flurry of happy children’s faces, Mukacevo: 1935-1938. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 11 of 22Warsaw Boy in front of kindling in a basement dwelling: 1935–38. Source: Art News 12 of 22Vishniac’s own daughter Mara in front of an election poster for Hindenburg and Hitler that says, “The Marshal and the Corporal: Fight with Us for Peace and Equal Rights,” Berlin: 1933. Source: Art News 13 of 22Boy standing atop a giant pile of rubble, Berlin: 1947. Source: Art News 14 of 22Young Zionists building a school and foundry while learning construction techniques, The Netherlands: 1939. Source: Art News 15 of 22Boys gathered in admiration of a motorcycle, Brandenburg: early 1930s. Source: Art News 16 of 22Berlin street photography; notice the swastika flag on the storefront: 1935-36. Source: Art Blart 17 of 22David Eckstein, seven years old, and his elementary school classmates in heder: 1935-38. Source: Art Blart 18 of 22A worker in a Jewish soup kitchen: mid to late 1930s. Source: Art Blart 19 of 22A Berlin street scene: 1926. Source: Art Blart 20 of 22Enjoying some time outdoors: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 21 of 22Bath time for siblings at home: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 22 of 22Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
Disturbing Photos Captured Inside The Jewish Ghettos Of The Holocaust
Meet Francesco Lotoro, The Jewish Composer Preserving The Music Of Holocaust Victims
44 Photos Of What Life In Fascist Italy Looked Like
1 of 22Sharing school books at heder: 1935-38. Source: The New Yorker 2 of 22Many unseparated shots from the archive. Source: Art Blart 3 of 22Inside the Berlin zoo in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 4 of 22Dancers Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, New York: early 1950s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 5 of 22Inside the Anhalter Bahnhof, a railway station in Berlin in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 6 of 22Shop woman washing the windows of Mandtler and Neumann Speditionen in Vienna in the 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 7 of 22Emigration applicant meeting with an agent from the Aid Society of German Jews: 1937-38. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 8 of 22A day at the beach in Nice, France: 1939. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 9 of 22German family leaving the movie theater, Berlin: early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 10 of 22A flurry of happy children’s faces, Mukacevo: 1935-1938. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 11 of 22Warsaw Boy in front of kindling in a basement dwelling: 1935–38. Source: Art News 12 of 22Vishniac’s own daughter Mara in front of an election poster for Hindenburg and Hitler that says, “The Marshal and the Corporal: Fight with Us for Peace and Equal Rights,” Berlin: 1933. Source: Art News 13 of 22Boy standing atop a giant pile of rubble, Berlin: 1947. Source: Art News 14 of 22Young Zionists building a school and foundry while learning construction techniques, The Netherlands: 1939. Source: Art News 15 of 22Boys gathered in admiration of a motorcycle, Brandenburg: early 1930s. Source: Art News 16 of 22Berlin street photography; notice the swastika flag on the storefront: 1935-36. Source: Art Blart 17 of 22David Eckstein, seven years old, and his elementary school classmates in heder: 1935-38. Source: Art Blart 18 of 22A worker in a Jewish soup kitchen: mid to late 1930s. Source: Art Blart 19 of 22A Berlin street scene: 1926. Source: Art Blart 20 of 22Enjoying some time outdoors: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 21 of 22Bath time for siblings at home: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 22 of 22Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
Disturbing Photos Captured Inside The Jewish Ghettos Of The Holocaust
Meet Francesco Lotoro, The Jewish Composer Preserving The Music Of Holocaust Victims
44 Photos Of What Life In Fascist Italy Looked Like
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1 of 22Sharing school books at heder: 1935-38. Source: The New Yorker 2 of 22Many unseparated shots from the archive. Source: Art Blart 3 of 22Inside the Berlin zoo in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 4 of 22Dancers Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, New York: early 1950s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 5 of 22Inside the Anhalter Bahnhof, a railway station in Berlin in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 6 of 22Shop woman washing the windows of Mandtler and Neumann Speditionen in Vienna in the 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 7 of 22Emigration applicant meeting with an agent from the Aid Society of German Jews: 1937-38. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 8 of 22A day at the beach in Nice, France: 1939. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 9 of 22German family leaving the movie theater, Berlin: early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 10 of 22A flurry of happy children’s faces, Mukacevo: 1935-1938. Source: Smithsonian Magazine 11 of 22Warsaw Boy in front of kindling in a basement dwelling: 1935–38. Source: Art News 12 of 22Vishniac’s own daughter Mara in front of an election poster for Hindenburg and Hitler that says, “The Marshal and the Corporal: Fight with Us for Peace and Equal Rights,” Berlin: 1933. Source: Art News 13 of 22Boy standing atop a giant pile of rubble, Berlin: 1947. Source: Art News 14 of 22Young Zionists building a school and foundry while learning construction techniques, The Netherlands: 1939. Source: Art News 15 of 22Boys gathered in admiration of a motorcycle, Brandenburg: early 1930s. Source: Art News 16 of 22Berlin street photography; notice the swastika flag on the storefront: 1935-36. Source: Art Blart 17 of 22David Eckstein, seven years old, and his elementary school classmates in heder: 1935-38. Source: Art Blart 18 of 22A worker in a Jewish soup kitchen: mid to late 1930s. Source: Art Blart 19 of 22A Berlin street scene: 1926. Source: Art Blart 20 of 22Enjoying some time outdoors: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 21 of 22Bath time for siblings at home: date unknown. Source: Wordpress 22 of 22Like this gallery?Share it:
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1 of 22Sharing school books at heder: 1935-38. Source: The New Yorker
2 of 22Many unseparated shots from the archive. Source: Art Blart
3 of 22Inside the Berlin zoo in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
4 of 22Dancers Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, New York: early 1950s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
5 of 22Inside the Anhalter Bahnhof, a railway station in Berlin in the early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
6 of 22Shop woman washing the windows of Mandtler and Neumann Speditionen in Vienna in the 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
7 of 22Emigration applicant meeting with an agent from the Aid Society of German Jews: 1937-38. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
8 of 22A day at the beach in Nice, France: 1939. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
9 of 22German family leaving the movie theater, Berlin: early 1930s. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
10 of 22A flurry of happy children’s faces, Mukacevo: 1935-1938. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
11 of 22Warsaw Boy in front of kindling in a basement dwelling: 1935–38. Source: Art News
12 of 22Vishniac’s own daughter Mara in front of an election poster for Hindenburg and Hitler that says, “The Marshal and the Corporal: Fight with Us for Peace and Equal Rights,” Berlin: 1933. Source: Art News
13 of 22Boy standing atop a giant pile of rubble, Berlin: 1947. Source: Art News
14 of 22Young Zionists building a school and foundry while learning construction techniques, The Netherlands: 1939. Source: Art News
15 of 22Boys gathered in admiration of a motorcycle, Brandenburg: early 1930s. Source: Art News
16 of 22Berlin street photography; notice the swastika flag on the storefront: 1935-36. Source: Art Blart
17 of 22David Eckstein, seven years old, and his elementary school classmates in heder: 1935-38. Source: Art Blart
18 of 22A worker in a Jewish soup kitchen: mid to late 1930s. Source: Art Blart
19 of 22A Berlin street scene: 1926. Source: Art Blart
20 of 22Enjoying some time outdoors: date unknown. Source: Wordpress
21 of 22Bath time for siblings at home: date unknown. Source: Wordpress
22 of 22Like this gallery?Share it:
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What Jewish Life Looked Like In Europe Before The Holocaust View Gallery
What Jewish Life Looked Like In Europe Before The Holocaust View Gallery
What Jewish Life Looked Like In Europe Before The Holocaust View Gallery
What Jewish Life Looked Like In Europe Before The Holocaust View Gallery
What Jewish Life Looked Like In Europe Before The Holocaust
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Now, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and International Center for Photography have launched an online database for all of Vishniac’s photos to both highlight his exhaustive body of work and help identify his subjects in the hope that the photos can be placed into the hands of the families. Many of the photos in the archive are uncategorized and undated, and there are very few names listed – but a number of identifications have already been made.
Photos in this gallery highlight all of Vishniac’s work and remind us of the culture lost to the wills of the more powerful.
If you’re interested in life in Europe during the interwar period, check out our other galleries on the Great Depression and tragic Holocaust photos.
