Gerda Taro

Gerda Taro
Taro in Spain, July 1937, with Leica camera and 5cm Summar lens
Born
Gerta Pohorylle

(1910-08-01)1 August 1910[1]
Stuttgart, German Empire[2]
Died26 July 1937(1937-07-26) (aged 26)
Brunete, Madrid, Spanish Republic
Resting placeCimetière du Père-Lachaise, Paris, France
Years active1935–1937
EmployerAlliance Photo
PartnerRobert Capa (1935–1937)
Parents
  • Heinrich Pohorylle (father)
  • Gisela Boral (mother)

Gerta Pohorylle (1 August 1910 – 26 July 1937), known professionally as Gerda Taro, was a German war photographer active during the Spanish Civil War. She is regarded as the first female photojournalist to have died while covering the frontline in a war.[3]

Taro was the companion and professional partner of photographer Robert Capa, who, like her, was Jewish. The name "Robert Capa" was originally an alias that Taro and Capa (born Endre Friedmann) shared, an invention meant to mitigate the increasing political intolerance in Europe and to attract the lucrative American market. Therefore, a significant amount of what is credited as Robert Capa's early work was actually created by Taro.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Schaber, Irme; Whelan, Richard; Lubben, Kristen (2007). Gerda Taro: From the Collection of the International Center of Photography. Steidl/ICP. p. 11. ISBN 978-3-86521-532-1.
  3. ^ "Woman Journalist Killed". Belfast Telegraph. 28 July 1937. p. 4.
  4. ^ "Gerda Taro - The Girl with a Leica". DailyArt Magazine. 22 April 2020.