Jewish schoolchildren. Mukacevo, Ukraine. 1935-1938. By Roman Vishniac.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net
Roman Vishniac (1897-1990,) street photographer of pre-World War II Jewish life in Eastern Europe, produced a photographic record that “documented that world on the eve of its annihilation.”
He was Russian born, but he started his career in Berlin in the 1920’s. He escaped to New York in 1941.
In 1947 he returned to Europe to document Jewish displaced-persons camps, the ruins of Berlin, and effort of the Holocaust survivors to rebuild their lives.” *
Before he died, Roman Vishniac published a book of his photographs called “A Vanished World.” (1986). Elie Weisel wrote the introduction.
“The International Center of Photography ” in NYC organized the exhibit “Roman Vishniac Rediscovered,” which opened on September 24, 2015 at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. Maya Benton was the curator. The exhibit was made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and a number of private foundations.
*Photograph Magazine.
ANDY STATMAN and DAVID FRISHMAN “Shalom Aleichem” from their album Songs of Our Fathers
I remember attending a comprehensive exhibit of Roman Vishniac’s photos in New York City (back in the 80’s I believe). The photo that stood out the most for me was of a little girl who had to stay in bed for the winter because she had no shoes. The entire exhibit was touching, and even more so because we viewers, unlike the subjects in the photos, knew what was to come.