100 Years of Photography and the Press in Berlin
Berlin pulsates – yesterday as it does today. For more than a hundred years, the press has reflected the rhythm of the metropolis: its dynamism, its contradictions, its insatiable hunger for stories and – more than ever – for images. Photography is fundamentally changing journalism. The exhibition “In the Rhythm of the Big City – 100 Years of Photography and the Press in Berlin” takes us to the heart of this interplay between urban life, photography, and reporting.
Image gallery
Fotograf unbekannt, Eine Berliner Reportage-Fotografin fotografiert von einem Kran des noch im Bau befindlichen Berliner Stadthauses, Berlin 1909
It shows how photographs from the turbulent 1920s to the present day have shaped the press landscape and changed the perception of Berlin – and how strongly they determine the pace of news. At the height of the historic newspaper district, up to 147 daily newspapers were published, some of them twice a day.
Handy cameras and improved printing processes revolutionized the work of editorial offices and marked the beginning of illustrated journalism. This gave rise to a new profession: that of press photographer. Who were these people behind the camera, and what responsibilities did photographing on behalf of an editorial office entail?
The exhibition highlights how closely reporting and images have been intertwined for over a century—from the fundamental right to freedom of expression in the Weimar Republic to censorship and propaganda under National Socialism to the divided city with the different press landscapes of East and West Berlin.
Topics such as politics, sports, city life, and crime reflect not only journalistic interests, but also the social values and conflicts of their time.
Historical photographs from the bpk photo archive, newspapers from the collection of the Berlin State Library, and current works by photographers from the OSTKREUZ agency show how the visual language of press photography is constantly changing and yet always remains an expression of urban life.
