Whoever Saves One Life, Saves the Entire World: A Secret History of Leica

B&H Photography Podcast

Jill Waterman

Podcast, Photography, Arts, Visual Arts, Bh, Photo

4.6 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2015

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Guests: Frank Dabba Smith and Jill Enfield The oft-quoted line paraphrased for our headline and notably used in reference to Oskar Schindler and Chiune Sugihara can also be applied to industrialist and Leica camera manufacturer Ernst Leitz II, who used his influence to help many Jews and other subjugated people avoid persecution, maintain their jobs, or even escape Germany during the 1930s and 1940s. Like any story drawn from a terrible era of oppression, heroes are painted with shades of gray, and humanitarianism can be found in small gestures, but historian Frank Dabba Smith creates a narrative derived from primary source research. Our other guest, photographer Jill Enfield, recounts her family’s direct relationship with this chapter of Jewish, German, American, and photographic history. Join us for this engaging conversation.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to the BNH Photography Podcast.
0:04.1	For over 40 years, BNH has been the professional source for photography, video, audio, and
0:08.9	more.
0:09.9	For your favorite gear, news, and reviews, visit us at bnh.com or download the BNH app to
0:15.5	your iPhone or Android device.
0:17.7	Now here's your host, Alan White's.
0:20.1	Greetings and welcome to the BNH Photography Podcast.
0:23.0	It's a nice man.
0:24.0	Said my name is Alan White's.
0:25.7	Today we have a subject that we've been looking forward to for a long time.
0:28.9	It's really, really an interesting, exciting subject.
0:31.3	The name of it is a secret history of Liker, how Ernst Leite saved Jewish lives in Nazi
0:36.0	Germany.
0:37.2	My guests today are Rabbi Frank Dabber Smith, who is not only a rabbi, but is soon to be
0:42.1	Doctor of History also joining us as Jill Anfield, best known for her work in alternative
0:47.6	photographic processes and the author of Jill Anfield's Guide to Alternative Photographic
0:52.1	Processes.
0:53.1	In today's episode, we're going to discuss the story of Ernst Leite's second, the second
0:57.9	generation owner and director of the Leite's optical company, the manufacturer of Liker
1:02.9	Cameras, who used the means at his disposable to help Jews avoid prosecution, maintain their
1:09.0	jobs, and even escape the country in the years leading up to and during the dark years
1:13.6	of World War II.
	...

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