Award-winning Out of Exile – the Photography of Fred Stein is the tale of a man caught up in one of history’s darkest moments. The Nazi menace thrust Fred Stein into a life of exile: in 1930s Paris; across the war-torn French countryside; and in 1940s New York. Always full of belief in the human spirit, his answer was to create thousands of brilliant photographs, an art that transcends bigotry.
Felix Nussbaum House, Museum - October 14 , 2024
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor - April 9, 2024
The Movie House - Millerton, NY, April 13, 2024
Yale University - Whitney Humanities Center, February 16, 2024
“I first met Fred when we were both refugees fighting the totalitarian Nazi regime... In his time he was very much in the avant garde, a brilliant photographer inspired by his quest for justice and his concern for truth so clearly reflected in his photographs. He truly was a man of vision, and his choice of people and subjects is an obvious proof of it.”
— Willy Brandt, Chancellor of Germany
The Journey of Fred Stein and Lilo Stein
Fred and Lilo Stein began their lives in Dresden, Germany, one of the cultural capitals of Europe; where they shared a love of art, literature, and music. Fred was a law student and politically involved, and when the Nazis came to power, Fred was well aware of the danger, and it was his anti-Nazi activity as well as their Jewish “racial” status that forced them to flee in 1933.
They went to Paris, where they lived among a circle of fellow refugees. It was a time of cultural mingling and artistic innovation, and as they had no source of income, Fred turned to photography as a means to earn money. He had a natural gift, and it quickly became a passion for him. Thus his life as a photographer was born. Lilo was a full partner in his work: assisting, retouching, and supporting.
When war came, Fred was incarcerated as an enemy alien. As the Nazis neared his camp, he escaped; then made his way across the countryside south to Marseilles in the Free Zone, where he sent a postcard to Lilo, who had been waiting anxiously in Paris. She bluffed her way through the German checkpoint, and got a pass to travel to Marseilles, carrying Fred’s negatives with her. They hid in Marseilles until Fred met Varian Fry, who helped them get visas, and they finally managed to board one of the last ships to leave France. They found a refuge in New York. Fred’s photographs are a record of some of the seminal places and people of the 20th century.
We would love to hear from you about screening the film, hosting a discussion, having an exhibition or any of your other interests or questions about Fred Stein.