Olmutz, Czechoslovakia

Artur Huppet’s inscriptions movingly narrate his delight in being Peterle’s father, and they increasingly document the sense of fear he feels for his child’s safety.

Artur Huppert comes from a comfortable family in Silesia, near the Polish-German border, whose members live in several countries, including Poland and Czechoslovakia. When his parents, Rosinka and Jusekl (Rose and Joseph) were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, they took with them precious photos of their children, this one among them.

In April 1939, Artur inscribed the photo of his six month old son, Peterle:
“My Peterle is laughing at the world. He thinks it all belongs to him. He should be laughing and healthy until 120 years.” He had no indication yet that his child’s world of laughter and security would soon come to an end.

By June 1940, his inscriptions to his parents have become more troubled:
“My child Peterle, 20 months, and I turned 31 years on 9 July 1940. My poor child doesn’t know what a bitter … world he was born into, nor ought he to know that.”

This triple exposure is one of many stylized photos taken of Artur Huppert before he became a father. After he became a father, the baby was the focus of his photos.