Legendary DRUM Photogra- Pher Jürgen Schadeberg, Who Now Lives in Spain, Talks to Us About His Memories of Madiba and Taking Ic
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News THROUGH HIS LENS Legendary DRUM photogra- pher Jürgen Schadeberg, who now lives in Spain, talks to us about his memories of Madiba and taking iconic anti-apartheid photographs – a major part of the magazine’s legacy BY S’THEMBISO HLONGWANE PICTURES: ALEXANDER SNELLING CLAUDIA SCHADEBERG DRIVE through vast groves of infection and we wander down Jürgen’s fragrant olive and orange trees that memory lane of Madiba moments. seem to stretch to the horizon of “Whenever we met after he was released this beautiful part of Spain’s west from prison he would say to me, ‘How coast. I’d flown to the coastal city are you? Haven’t you retired yet?’ of Valencia and driven into the “Whenever Claudia and I went to Iinterior to the tiny village of Barx where Madiba for lunch he always asked me DRUM’s iconic former photographer why I wanted to visit an old man when Jürgen Schadeberg, who exposed the I probably had other more important iniquities of the apartheid regime through things to do.” the lens of his camera, lives with his wife Jürgen and Claudia smile at each Claudia. The searing 37 degree heat is a other. “Another memorable time was sharp contrast to the icy Joburg winter I’d when Claudia and I were invited to left behind 12 hours previously. Madiba’s Soweto house for a New Year’s I park the car on the steep driveway Eve party in 1991, his first since his of their comfortable two-storey villa, release,” Jürgen continues. which nestles among the foothills of an “We arrived early and sat on the imposing mountain range, and Jürgen terrace with Madiba chatting about the (82) comes out to welcome me. ’50s and recalling memories of Henry I’m here to talk to him about the Nxumalo, the courageous DRUM years he spent fearlessly chronicling the writer with whom I worked. We also injustices of the apartheid system along reminisced about Sophiatown and some with crusading journalists such as Henry of the people of that period. Nxumalo, William “Bloke” Modisane, “We then went into the lounge, Can Themba, Es’kia Mphahlele, Lewis which was now filled with a host of Nkosi, Todd Matshikiza, Robert Resha, former Robben Island prisoners such Arthur Maimane, Alf Kumalo, Ernest as Walter Sisulu, Andrew Mlangeni MAIN PICTURE: Former DRUM photo- journalist Jürgen Schadeberg at home Cole and Bob Gosani, each of whom and Bishop Tutu. Winnie made a very in Barx, Spain, with his portrait of molded journalism in the ’50s into an good buffet dinner and we sat at a table Nelson Mandela, taken a few months investigative tool to expose the hei- opposite Madiba and Winnie as we after his release from prison. nous atrocities of South Africa under toasted in the New Year.” LEFT: Jürgen having coffee at a Barx National Party rule. These are the treasured memories village restaurant with DRUM journalist S’thembiso Hlongwane. A newscast on the radio gives an Jürgen and Claudia took with them when INSET and BELOW LEFT: A ‘50s DRUM update on the health of Nelson Man- they left South Africa many years ago. cover and Jürgen’s pic of Trevor dela who is still in hospital with a lung (Turn over) Huddleston. 20 22 AUGUST 2013 www.drum.co.za www.drum.co.za 22 AUGUST 2013 21 | | News (From previous page) Johannesburg on the RIGHT: Jürgen’s wife JÜRGEN and Claudia moved to Spain six first floor behind a Claudia handles his months ago, leaving behind his home town of door with a sign that international gallery Berlin, Germany. “I like the Mediterranean life- read ‘The African shows and sales of style and climate and the Spanish people are Drum, Africa’s Lead- his archival prints. They met in London friendly,” he says in answer to my question why ing Magazine’. in the ‘70s and got they had moved from his homeland. “In a room furnish- married in 1984. “I’ve been globe-trotting quite a bit. I lived ed with two desks and Their son Charlie in France for four years, in London for 20 a number of filing was born in Joburg years, in New York for a year and in Berlin cabinets, was the edi- in 1986. BELOW: Jürgen shows DRUM most recently for two years. City life is nice but tor, Bob Crisp, a well- journalist S’thembiso I need time to reflect on my life’s journey and known and celebrated Hlongwane some of Barx offers me that.” South African crick- his archival prints Claudia, who handles all Jürgen’s international eter. Bob was a large from the heydays gallery shows and sales of his photographs – a man, a bit overweight of apartheid. lucrative form of income – says they’ve been and red faced,” Jür- swamped by media interview requests ever since gen continues. “I introduced Mandela was admitted to hospital. myself to him and his imme- “In a few days’ time a German TV crew is diate reply was, ‘When can coming,” she says. “After that we have to go to you start? We pay 10 shillings Baden in Germany where Jürgen will appear on per picture published’. a live chat show. Just a few days ago there was “Bob went over to one of another film crew here to do a magazine show the desks where a black man on Jürgen’s time with Mandela. It’s been busy.” was sitting behind a type- writer. ‘Come and meet BORN in Berlin, Germany, in 1931, Jürgen Henry Nxumalo, our chief worked as an apprentice photographer while journalist,’ he said. Henry, still in his teens. “My first job was to carry and who was wearing a bow tie, hold the photographic lights for Eric Krueger got up and greeted me with a who was a respected profes- big smile. ” An amusing memory is photographing singer sional photographer,” he says. Dolly Rathebe on a Johannesburg mine dump In 1950 Jürgen moved to THROUGH the years at clad only in a bikini.The two were arrested for Kensington, Johannesburg, It’s wonderful DRUM, Jürgen became a contravening the Immorality Act, which forbade to join his mother, Rosemarie, teacher and mentor to some interracial relationships. who had emigrated to SA. to have such of the most creative South In 1959 Jürgen left DRUM to become a free- The following year he memories African photographers such lance photographer. Five years later he felt he heard a “native” magazine as Bob Gosani, Ernest Cole could no longer live in apartheid South Africa called The African Drum was looking for a and, later, Peter Magubane. and left for London where he taught photo- photographer. “I was told they had no money, During these years he photographed many graphy and held photographic exhibitions. it would be an unsatisfactory position because historic and pivotal events, among them the they wrote about natives, the job would not be Defiance Campaign of 1952, the 1956 Treason JÜRGEN says he will always remember his time good for my future career and I would have to Trial, the Sophiatown removals of 1955, the at DRUM as special years. “DRUM’s crusad- work with natives,” Jürgen recalls with a chuckle. Sophiatown jazz and social scene, the Sharp- ing journalists shaped popular consciousness at “So perversely I thought to myself this was eville mass funerals in 1960 and took pictures a time when black voices in the media were sup- a good idea and I went to the offices to offer of Robben Island inmates. pressed,” he says. my services. The offices were in the centre of Some of the famous people he photographed He leans forward conspiratorially and adds, included Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Oliver “After the 1994 first non-racial elections many Tambo, Trevor Huddleston and Govan Mbeki. whites in South Africa, including the liberals, He also documented ’50s jazz legends such as said they had nothing to do with apartheid but Dolly Rathebe, Kippie when we had an office in the same building as Moeketsi, Thandi Klaas- the SA Associated Newspapers (the crusading en and Miriam Makeba. daily newspaper The Rand Daily Mail’s home) in downtown Joburg we were not allowed to use the main entrance. They deemed us unsavoury LEFT: Alexander Snelling, scum because we worked for DRUM, a black Jürgen’s new student, takes a picture on the publication,” he says with a hearty laugh. stone steps leading to the Finally, with a wink, he says: “Pass my hum- couple’s swimming pool. ble regards to all the DRUM journalists and the BOTTOM LEFT: Jürgen activists back home. It’s wonderful to have such and Claudia Schadeberg’s incredible memories,” he adds, looking wistfully home in the small village of Barx in southern Spain at the distant mountains. ■ is called El Oasis. [email protected] 22 | 22 AUGUST 2013 www.drum.co.za.