Kazimierz: market square; street scenes

Identifier
irn1003378
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2003.214
  • RG-60.3941
Dates
1 Jan 1936 - 31 Dec 1936, 1 Jan 1937 - 31 Dec 1937
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • Silent
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Julien Hequembourg Bryan (1899-1974) was an American documentarian and filmmaker. Bryan traveled widely taking 35mm film that he sold to motion picture companies. In the 1930s, he conducted extensive lecture tours, during which he showed film footage he shot in the former USSR. Between 1935 and 1938, he captured unique records of ordinary people and life in Nazi Germany and in Poland, including Jewish areas of Warsaw and Krakow and anti-Jewish signs in Germany. His footage appeared in March of Time theatrical newsreels. His photographs appeared in Life Magazine. He was in Warsaw in September 1939 when Germany invaded and remained throughout the German siege of the city, photographing and filming what would become America's first cinematic glimpse of the start of WWII. He recorded this experience in both the book Siege (New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1940) and the short film Siege (RKO Radio Pictures, 1940) nominated for an Academy Award in 1940. In 1946, Bryan photographed the efforts of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency in postwar Europe.

Scope and Content

Market square and vibrant daily life in Kazimierz, Krakow's Jewish quarter. CU, man inspecting a chicken for sale. CU, young girl at the market. High angle view of a prominent spire and statue. Quick shot of a table full of chickens and shoppers set before the Izaak synagogue, which still stands today. Streets in Krakow with shops and inhabitants of the Jewish quarter. A group of school boys following a man with balloons pass by the entrance to a hotel, "Restauracia Kawiarnia Hotelu Mullera". View of another street in the Jewish quarter with children helping an older woman bring hay through an open doorway, preparing for the harvest festival of Sukkot. This small street was captured by renowned photographer Roman Vishniac in his captivating images of Jewish life before the Holocaust. Quick travelling shot of a horse drawn carriage. Several religious men in walk along the street. Quick view of one of Bryan's cameraman, Jules Bucher (screen right). The bustling market square with merchants and shoppers before the Izaak synagogue, followed by street scenes. An elderly couple stands in the doorway of a shop displaying men's clothing and accessories, the name "M. Finkelstein" is above the door. More street scenes. Cut to a horse-drawn carriage and its driver in Krakow's theater district. A poster advertises the comedy team of Dzigan and Schumacher at the ARARAT. Many passersby stop to look at the camera, particularly the children. MLS, a young woman with a suitcase in hand speaks to two men. Four religious Jewish men turn away from the camera quickly, one (screen center) raises his hand to cover his face. Striking CUs of young Jewish boys talking and laughing. 01:02:33 Abrupt cut to barges along the river near the castle in Krakow.

Note(s)

  • Detailed preservation notes from the film lab are available in Film and Video department files. Additional photographs are available in the USHMM Photo Archives.

Subjects

Places

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.