Photographic Art in Exile 1929 – 1949

Exhibition at the Fotografie-Forum der StädteRegion Aachen in Monschau | April 06 – June 2025

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At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe was characterized by numerous crises and far-reaching political events. Famine, war and political persecution forced many people to leave their homes and go into exile.

In the 1930s, a large number of photographers emigrated to London, Paris or the USA, fleeing the political situation. The exhibition brings together ten artists who continued to work in exile and significantly influenced the medium of photography in the country to which they fled. Selected press and reportage photographs as well as artistic photographs present different strategies for adapting to the new environment.

The 170 photographs in the exhibition demonstrate how photographers in exile continued to pursue their passion. They can be read against the backdrop of current world events, but also as cautionary testimonies that encourage reflection.

(Text: Photography Forum of the StädteRegion Aachen in Monschau)

Exile – one of the central themes of the Ullstein photographic collection at ullstein bild. Not only because of the content of the pictures, but primarily because of the visibility of this basic prerequisite and condition in the works and lives of so many picture authors at Ullstein. At the beginning of the gallery below is an important publication: “Eine neue Künstler-Gilde. The photographer conquers new territory”, published in the Ullstein magazine UHU in October 1929. It gives pioneering photographers a stage and emphasizes the proximity of the Berlin publishing house to the aforementioned: Emil Otto Hoppé, Sasha Stone, Martin Munkácsi, James Abbe, Albert Renger-Patzsch, André Kertész, Dr. Erich Salomon, László Moholy-Nagy. This successful collaboration between publishers and picture authors, which was decisive for press photography and to which artistic directors such as Kurt Safranski and editors-in-chief such as Kurt Korff contributed, came to an abrupt end in 1933.

In our gallery you will find selected photographs by Erich Salomon, James Abbe, Martin Munkácsi and Kurt Lubinski. We are particularly pleased about the cooperation with the Fotografie-Forum der StädteRegion Aachen, which makes it possible to view and read the photographs by Martin Munkácsi and Erich Salomon anew as part of the exhibition “Fotokunst im Exil 1929-1949” in Monschau.

The images in the gallery can also be found in the photo dossier at ullstein bild.