Valery Faminsky – Berlin Mai 1945

The photographs of the liberation of Berlin and the first days of peace by the Soviet war photographer Valery Faminsky are both a historically valuable contemporary document and artistically impressive.

The archive of Valery Faminsky (1914-1993) recently found in Moscow by Arthur Bondar is a unique discovery. Taken in Berlin between April 22nd to May 24th 1945, the photographs show the ruins of the city, and the everyday life of its population and the Soviet troops. Recorded without any pathos or propaganda, these photographs have a humanitarian perspective on the longing for peace, and the reality of war. Both the authenticity and the closeness to the events allow the viewer to witness these historic moments intimately.

Judging by the outstanding artistic quality of his photographs, Valery Faminsky is on a par with his contemporaries like Yevgeny Khaldei  and Robert Capa.