Background
Alfred Eisenstaedt was born on December 6, 1898 in Dirschau, Germany (now Tczew, Poland). He was a son of Joseph and Regina (Schoen) Eisenstaedt. In 1935 he came to the United States.
Alfred Eisenstaedt was born on December 6, 1898 in Dirschau, Germany (now Tczew, Poland). He was a son of Joseph and Regina (Schoen) Eisenstaedt. In 1935 he came to the United States.
He moved with his family to Berlin in 1906 and served in the German Army during World War I. He began doing freelance photography in the early 1920s while employed as a button and belt salesman, and received numerous assignments from various German publications. Photojournalism became a full-time profession for Eisenstaedt in 1929 when he was assigned to cover the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm. He then worked for Pacific & Atlantic Photos Berlin office until he came to the United States in 1935. The following year he became one of Life's original four photographers (along with Margaret Bourke- White, Peter Stackpole and Thomas McAvoy). His photographs have appeared in almost every major photography and news magazine over the years.
Eisenstaedt's more than 2,000 photographic assignments include more than ninety Life covers.
He is the author of Eisenstaedt’s Guide to Photography (1978); Wimbledon: A Celebration, John A. McPhee (1972). Anthologies: The Photograph Collector’s Guide, Lee D. Witkin & Barbara London, 1979; Great Photographic Essays from Life, Maitland Edey, 1978; The Magic Image, Cecil Beaton & Gail Buckland, 1975; Travel Photography, 1972, Photojournalism, 1971, Time-Life Series.
Alfred Eisenstaedt's honors include: International Understanding Award for Outstanding Achievement (1967); Photographic Society of America achievement award (1967); Culture Prize in Photography from the German Society for Photography in Cologne (1962), and Photographer of the Year (Encyclopaedia Bntannica and the University of Missouri, 1951).
He belongs to the New York Press Photographers Association and Overseas Press Photographers.
