Pre-war photograph of Jewish school taken clandestinely

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 Jewish school taken clandestinely 

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

In the catalog accompanying the photograph, Vishniac explained"In Slonim, the teacher used the only medium, the only tool that works: firendship and love. And he was very successful in this" The term"Hede" literally translated means"room" However, in eastern European countries, it was the education a boy would receive until Bar Mitzvah (age 13). Original created by Roman Vishniac, 1938, Russia. Reproduced from original negative by Witkin-Berley Limited, 1977, Roslyn Heights, New York. 

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Image of a school room with male pupils at desks in front of a teacher. Verso, printed label, lower left corner,"print No. 8 of portfolio 33 published in 1977 by Witkin-Berley, Ltd"