Fritz Max Kurt Kempe
photographer
Fritz Max Kurt Kempe (1909–1988) was a German photographer and photo historian. He began his career in photography under his father, Max Kempe, obtaining his journeyman's certificate in 1927. In 1938, he established his own studio for industrial and advertising photography in Berlin. During World War II, he served as a visual reporter in a propaganda company of the Wehrmacht, notably during the German-Soviet war. This period produced works such as 'Das Gesicht des deutschen Soldaten' (The Face of the German Soldier). After 1945, Kempe lived in Hamburg, where he worked for a welfare organization and later served as the director of the State Image Office (Landesbildstelle) from 1949 to 1975. He was instrumental in developing photography as an artistic expression in Germany during the 1950s and 1960s. In his later years, he became a prominent portrait photographer and photo historian, receiving numerous awards for his contributions to photographic history and art.[1,2]
- Propaganda
- Portraiture
- Photo History
Books
Works by Fritz Max Kurt Kempe
- 1943 Das Gesicht des deutschen Soldaten Aufnahmen, Idee und Zusammenstellung von Fritz Kempe.
- 1943 Des Führers Soldaten – das Gesicht unserer Zeit Propaganda-Bildband.
- 1958 Von Meisterfotos lernen DNB 452378028
- 1963 Film, Technik, Gestaltung, Wirkung DNB 452378001
- 1976 Vor der Camera. Zur Geschichte der Photographie in Hamburg
Exhibitions
- 1974 Fritz Kempe, 5 Jahrzehnte Fotografie
Awards
- 1964 Kulturpreis der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Photographie
- 1972 Goldene photokina-Nadel
- 1974 David-Octavius-Hill-Medaille
- 1979 Erich-Stenger-Preis
- 1981 Senator-Biermann-Ratjen-Medaille