Isabel Wachenheimer speelt in de tuin met haar moeder Else Wachenheimer-Moos, juni - augustus 1933, Hamburg Possibly 1933 - 1937

This small photograph, taken by the Wachenheimer family between June and August 1933 in Hamburg, Germany, captures a tender moment between a mother and daughter. Else Wachenheimer-Moos playfully lifts her daughter, Isabel, in their garden. It’s almost impossible to look at this image without considering the wider context of the time. In 1933, the Nazi regime rose to power, initiating discriminatory policies against Jewish people. For the Wachenheimer family, who were Jewish, this seemingly ordinary moment was imbued with a particular significance. The act of photographing, of documenting their life, becomes an act of resistance, an insistence on visibility and normalcy in the face of increasing persecution. The image encapsulates both the universal bond between a mother and child, and the specific historical circumstances that threatened to shatter their world. This photograph stands as a poignant reminder of the personal stories often overshadowed by grand historical narratives, inviting us to reflect on how individuals navigate identity, family, and survival amid political turmoil.