Manoeuvring between propaganda and photographic art: Edmund Höfer’s photographs for the German-language newspaper Neuer Weg

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstractpeer-review

Abstract

Like other state-owned mass media during Romania’s communist era, the German-language daily newspaper Neuer Weg (1949-1992) was just another mouthpiece for Romania’s Communist Party (PCR), as it was subjected to information manipulation and censorship. Although Neuer Weg seemingly sought to be identity-forming for its German-language readership in Romania by also including short news items from both West Germany and the GDR, the newspaper was simultaneously a propaganda tool that supported the cultural, socio-political and economical views of the PCR. On 22 June 1978, for example, every single page of Neuer Weg was dedicated to Nicolae Ceauşescu and his speeches were translated and printed in full. The PCR worked tirelessly to impose its vision, with the propaganda apparatus acting intensely. This was partly achieved through what Françoise Thom (1987) coined “wooden language”, a language variety that mainly proliferated in the former Soviet Union, and, importantly, through photography. As one of the main photo reporters at Neuer Weg between 1957 and 1988, Edmund Höfer took countless photographs for the newspaper during his long career. While most of the photographs illustrated news articles, many of his photographs related to various photography exhibitions in which he took part as a photographic artist. Against this backdrop, the aim of this paper is to shed some light on Edmund Höfer’s photography and explore to what extent he was able to evolve his career as a photo reporter for Neuer Weg, whilst also promoting
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 3 Jul 2024
EventRomanian Photography: Local perspectives and European trends - National Library of Romania, Bucharest, Romania
Duration: 3 Jul 20243 Jul 2024
Conference number: 2
https://bibnat.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/program-conferinta.pdf (Pdf of conference outline)
https://bibnat.ro/fotografia-romaneasca-perspective-locale-si-tendinte-europene

Conference

ConferenceRomanian Photography
Country/TerritoryRomania
CityBucharest
Period3/07/243/07/24
Internet address

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