Else Wachenheimer-Moos en haar echtgenoot Eugen Wachenheimer op vakantie in de bossen, 1939, Spa (België) 1939

Curator: Welcome. Here we have a fascinating snapshot titled, "Else Wachenheimer-Moos en haar echtgenoot Eugen Wachenheimer op vakantie in de bossen, 1939, Spa (België)." The image, captured in 1939 using the gelatin-silver print process, provides a personal glimpse into the lives of the Wachenheimers. Editor: It’s such an intimate moment caught on film, isn’t it? I immediately sense a stillness about it, like holding your breath for a brief instant. The monochromatic tones give the whole thing this aura of quiet dignity… but tinged with… I don’t know...melancholy? Curator: Absolutely. Seeing the work through a historical lens, particularly with the date – 1939 – the serenity feels unsettling. Considering the rising socio-political unrest in Europe, this photograph transforms from a simple holiday portrait into something more poignant and deeply shadowed by what we now know. Editor: You're right. The backdrop – ostensibly idyllic – only amplifies that unease. They're posing amid nature's bounty, but the thought of impending historical darkness hovers over them. It makes you wonder about their awareness, what their days and conversations were filled with... It's almost ghostly. Curator: These sorts of photographs were frequently produced to demonstrate their normality during that time, suggesting things were not nearly as bad for them, despite being a family with a Jewish profile living in the Nazi's areas of influence, and not living in it but spending holidays might have suggested something very different to whoever looked at it, even back then. It's an exercise in managing their identity and social standing, amidst societal shifts that would greatly disrupt them. Editor: So, it becomes a very private and perhaps propagandistic exercise, despite probably just seeking to enjoy and eternalize vacations. They are there posing as if they had control, while very likely did not! The images becomes sort of loaded with meanings depending on where and by whom the photographs where looked. Curator: Precisely. Editor: I can't shake the feeling this album page it’s charged with quiet resistance or perhaps resilient hope in the face of looming despair. Curator: That's a beautiful thought to consider as we move forward and look ahead. Thank you.