Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/25

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Subject: RE: Riefenstahl and Nazi Photographers
From: "BIRKEY, DUANE" <dbirkey@hcjb.org.ec>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 9:47:32 -0500

If we were to ignore every photograph or film made by Riefenstahl and 
by the Nazis themselves we would have a much poorer overall picture of 
the what the Nazis actually did.

Photographs and writings have historical value.  They have value no 
matter what the artist's political views were and are.  I don't have to 
agree with a photographer's personal or political views to appreciate 
some value in their  work.   Whether I think Riefenstahl was a Nazi or 
not does not change the historical value of her work and the insights I 
can have by seeing it.

I'm offering a new service to fellow members of the LUG

Send me your Leica Equipment for a free clean and check!  * 

We do need to look at the message portrayed in the medium just as we 
need to evaluate whether advertising is telling us the truth or 
misleading us into believing that that using their product will make us 
like the people in their ads.  But we've got brains to think and I can 
see the value in photos taken by Riefenstahl and even by the Nazis 
themselves.  

Duane Birkey
HCJB World Radio 
Quito Ecuador

* Equipment may or may not be returned depending on whether I need said 
items for my own personal usage or if owner is willing to pay a slight 
return handling cost, equal to the new value of said items.  We are not 
responsible for any item sent to us.