The Mittelmann Photo Archive tells the story of a Jewish family of photographers in Leipzig: immigration from the Russian Empire, professional success—and ultimately flight, deportation, or survival in occupied France. Abram and Rejsa Mittelmann, their children born in Leipzig, and relatives in Reichenbach/Vogtland are representative of an entire generation.
A treasure trove of photographic history unique in Germany: Most of the photos are portraits of women, men, and children—the family itself, or even members of the SA. Their lives and fates, achievements, or entanglements can now be illuminated for the first time.
Starting in 1925, Eugen Mittelmann specialized in portraits of actresses and singers on Leipzig stages and wrote specialized texts. Inspired by modern photography, the Bauhaus, and the Werkbund, he created photographic experiments, collages, and advertisements. His photographic art stands alongside everyday images of city dwellers as a testament to the era around 1930.
The exhibition and digital formats depict a typical Jewish family in Germany. Like many of their Jewish clients, the Mittelmanns—who had emigrated from the Russian Empire—built a new life for themselves in Leipzig. Under National Socialism, they were disenfranchised, persecuted, and murdered, or managed to survive. Names, lives, and networks within the Jewish community are now being brought to light.
We invite you to join us on-site! In the exhibition, at the media stations, and at the desk, you can conduct your own research. Every new piece of information expands our knowledge—and brings the stories behind the faces back to light.
