Yevgeny Khaldei
Yevgeny Khaldei
April 3, 2014
One of the most iconic images of World War II: Yevgeny Khaldei's re-enacted scene of the Soviet flag being hoisted atop the Reichstag building – the flag was made up of two red table cloths. The second watch worn by the officer in the original print was later removed due to censorship.
© Yevgeny Khaldei / Collection of Ernst Volland and Heinz Krimmer
Khaldei's photograph of the Soviet flag being raised on the Reichstag building in Berlin is one of the most famous images in the world. The scene was in fact a re-enactment: on the morning of the 2 May 1945, when Khaldei climbed atop the Reichstag with his Leica to take the shot, the fighting had already moved elsewhere.
The atrocities of war
In the period from 1941 to 1943, Yevgeny Khaldei (1917–1995) kept a diary detailing his experiences and describing the cruelties of war. Discovered after Khaldei's death in 1995, it was published by German gallery owner Ernst Volland in 2011.
For further information visit War Diary
One of the most iconic images of World War II: Yevgeny Khaldei's re-enacted scene of the Soviet flag being hoisted atop the Reichstag building – the flag was made up of two red table cloths. The second watch worn by the officer in the original print was later removed due to censorship.
© Yevgeny Khaldei / Collection of Ernst Volland and Heinz Krimmer
The reindeer image was taken at the northern front. In his diary Khaldei wrote, "Our fighter planes were only made of wood. So we breathed a sigh of relief when the British came along with their twenty 'Hurricanes'. The reindeer was a wild animal. We named it Jascha. When the shooting started, it kept coming back to our battalion. The soldiers built a small stable and kept him well fed. I've been asked whether the image was a photomontage. To me, the combination of subjects emphasises this scene."
© Yevgeny Khaldei / Collection of Ernst Volland and Heinz Krimmer
Yevgeny Khaldei
© Collection of Ernst Volland and Heinz Krimmer