August Sander German photographer Date of Birth: 17.11.1876 Country: Germany

1. Biography of August Sander
2. Early Career
3. Photography Studio in Linz
4. People of the 20th Century
5. Life During the Nazi Regime
6. Preservation of the Archive and Later Recognition
7. Legacy

Biography of August Sander

August Sander was a prominent German photographer, portraitist, and documentarian. He is considered one of the most significant German photographers of the early 20th century. Born in 1876 in Herdorf, Germany, Sander grew up in a family of a carpenter working in the mining industry.

Early Career

Even as a schoolboy, Sander developed a keen interest in photography and began assisting a local photographer. With the help of his uncle, Sander acquired his own camera and set up his own darkroom to develop his first photographs. During his military service from 1897 to 1899, Sander worked as a photographer's assistant. After his service, he traveled around the country, earning a living by taking photographs of various industrial and architectural subjects.

Photography Studio in Linz

In 1901, Sander started working at a photography studio in Linz, Austria. Within a year, he became a full partner and eventually bought the studio in 1904. He remained in Linz until 1909 when he established another photography studio in Cologne.

People of the 20th Century

It was in Cologne that Sander embarked on his most significant artistic project, "People of the 20th Century." His goal was to create a "group portrait of the German people." However, it sparked controversy as Sander exclusively photographed Germans, suggesting that "human" and "German" were synonymous for him. He worked on this ambitious project until the mid-1950s. In 1929, he published a book called "Face of our Time," which consisted of 60 portraits. However, the book was later banned under the Nazi regime for not adhering to their racial aesthetics.

Life During the Nazi Regime

During the Nazi era, Sander faced some discomfort, although he did not suffer significantly under the regime. However, his son, Eric, was arrested in 1934 due to his affiliation with the Socialist Workers' Party (SAP). Unfortunately, Eric received a ten-year sentence and died in prison shortly before its completion in 1944. Meanwhile, Sander turned to architectural and landscape photography during the Nazi regime and continued his "People of the 20th Century" project in secret.

Preservation of the Archive and Later Recognition

At the beginning of World War II, Sander moved from Cologne to the countryside, which ultimately saved his archive. In 1944, his studio was destroyed by a bomb, but he managed to salvage some of his negatives. However, part of his collection was destroyed by looters in 1946. Despite continuing his work and accumulating new material, Sander did not gain much recognition until the early 1950s when his works began to be exhibited. By the end of the decade, he became an honorary member of the German Photographic Society. However, Sander's magnum opus, "People of the 20th Century," was published posthumously.

Legacy

August Sander passed away on April 20, 1964, in Cologne at the age of 87. One of the craters on the planet Mercury was named Sander in his honor.