“PUSHING THE ENVELOPE OF THE DOCUMENTARY FORM”

VOROBEICHIC, Moshe. Ein Ghetto im Osten (Wilna). Zurich and Leipzig: Orell Fussli, (1931). Slim crown octavo, original half orange cloth, orange & black photographic boards. $2200.

First edition of Vorobeichic’s influential pre-WWII photo-essay on Lithuanian Jews, with 64 black-and-white photographic images and photocollages.

Lithuanian-born photographer Moshé Raviv-Vorobeichic trained at the Bauhaus in the 1920s and after studying at the École de Photo Ciné in Paris, "returned to visit his family and photographed life in the Jewish community of Vilnius. The result was Ein Ghetto im Osten, Wilna… His use of the book format as a progression of pictures to be leafed through is unique with regard to the reportage style that was just carving a niche for itself at the time" (Open Book, 18). "Pushing the envelope of the documentary form… Vorobeichic also introduced cinematic cutting and montaging techniques… A poignancy has been added in hindsight: it was made at the beginning of a desperately traumatic time for European Jewry" (Parr & Badger, 130). With preface by poet Zalman Chnéour in both Hebrew and German; captions in both Hebrew and German. Printed on glossy stock. Without scarce original glassine. Owner signature.

Some foxing to preliminary, terminal leaves and edges, generally affecting only first photocollage, slight separation of one signature, binding still strong; light rubbing to original boards. An extremely good copy, scarce.