Authors: Virgili, Fabrice; Voldman, Danièle

Source: French Politics, Culture & Society, Volume 27, Number 1, Spring 2009 , pp. 91-101(11)

Abstract:

Last spring in France a controversy arose over an exhibit of André Zucca's photographs of Paris under German occupation. The well-known photo journalist worked for the Nazi magazine Signal during World War II. For that reason, some people disapproved of an exhibit on the work of a former "collaborateur," a man who, in a way, helped Hitler's Germany. Those who prepared the exhibit justified the project on the basis of the beauty of Zucca's colored photos and the rarity of wartime color photos. They insisted on the importance of his use of agfacolor film, which was generally available only to Germans. Critics of the exhibition found Zucca's privileged access all the more disturbing. An analysis of the archives from the period exposes the complexity of the affair and the need for further research. Evidence from documents on Zucca's activity and opinions during the war reveal a man little interested in the world except to photograph it.

Keywords: WORLD WAR II; PHOTOGRAPHY; ZUCCA; EXHIBIT; PARIS

DOI: 10.3167/fpcs.2009.270105

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