In 1933, Jewish photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt was in Geneva to take pictures of a summit of the League of Nations.
He managed to take Joseph Goebbels in a cheerful mood—at first. The second time Eisenstaedt took a photo of the Nazi propaganda minister, his face was different, as he learned that Eisenstaedt had Jewish blood. He displayed “eyes of hate”.
This is what Eisenstaedt said about this day:
I found him sitting alone at a folding table on the lawn of the hotel. I photographed him from a distance without him being aware of it. As documentary reportage, the picture may have some value: it suggests his aloofness. Later I found him at the same table surrounded by aides and bodyguards. Goebbels seemed so small, while his bodyguards were huge. I walked up close and photographed Goebbels. It was horrible. He looked up at me with an expression full of hate. The result, however, was a much stronger photograph. There is no substitute for close personal contact and involvement with a subject, no matter how unpleasant it may be
Eisenstaedt’s most famous photo is this one though.
