Pre-war photograph of Jew taken clandestinely by Roman Vishniac

Roman Vishniac was born in 1897 in St. Petersburg, Russia and was educated in the Universities of Moscow and Berlin. From 1933 to 1939, he traveled throughout eastern Europe--Russia, Poland, Rumania, Czechoslovakia, and Lithuania--photographing Jewish communities. He was arrested and imprisoned repeatedly by police who suspected him of photographing Jews. Of the sixteen thousand images he took, two thousand negatives still exist. Vishniac's photographs were made with a hidden Leica camera which he wrapped a handkerchief around and exposed the film as he wiped his brow. He also used a concealed Rollei or 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 camera. The Rollei was kept under his coat with the lens protruding through an enlargened button hole. 

The photograph was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1991 by Mara Vishniac Kohn, the daughter of Roman Vishniac. 

Pre-war photograph of Jew taken clandestinely by Roman Vishniac 

overall: Height: 28.190 inches (71.603 cm) | Width: 22.130 inches (56.21 cm) 

In the catalog accompanying this photograph, Vishniac explained"In a place in the Carpathian mountains which was far from any illumination by electricity, the only light that could be used to photograph this wise man was the open fire of burning wood. Professional photographers told me that I made a big mistake by not illuminating the dark side, and that I should be ashamed to show this picture. The future will decide" Original created by Roman Vishniac, 1938, Carpathian Ruthenia, USSR. Reproduced from original negative by Witkin-Berley Limited, 1977, Roslyn Heights, New York. 

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Image of an old man's face with his head resting on one hand and other hand resting on cane; he has a long white beard and wears a dark jacket or coat. Image permanently mounted on board; verso, printed label, lower left corner,"print No. 6 of Portfolio 33 published in 1977 by Witkin-Berley, Ltd"