Lot 4154: Chaldej, Jewgeni: Atop the Berlin Reichstag, 1945

"Atop the Berlin Reichstag, May 2, 1945"/printed early 1990s. Gelatin silver print. 29 x 37 cm. Signed by the photographer in black marker in lower margin.
An interesting document which Chaldej himself commented on as follows: "Early in the morning on May 2, 1945, I entered it (the Reichstag). I was surrounded by horrendous noise, Russians and Germans were all shouting in horrible confusion ... A pleasant young soldier came up to me. I had a red flag in my hand. He said, 'Lieutenant, davai, let's hurry up and climb onto the roof with the flag' ... We started out, but all the stairs were badly damaged. When we finally got up the Reichstag was on fire. ...We found a long pole. I spent lots of time trying out different compositions. I took one picture from the left, but that wasn't any good. I wanted Berlin to be clearly visible in the picture. Then I said, 'Boys, go and stand over there and raise the flag ... then try over there'. There were three of them. One was from the Ukraine, the other from Machatshkala in Dagestan and the third was a Russian. ... I shot a whole roll of film, 36 shots" (cited in Volland/Krimmer, p. 151). - Slight discoloration/scuffing in upper right corner, otherwise in good condition.
Lit.: Ernst Volland/Heinz Krimmer (eds.). Von Moskau nach Berlin. Bilder des russischen Fotografen Jewgeni Chaldej. Berlin 1999, compare ill. pp. 65 - 67.