From Berlin to Harbin: The Immortal Testimony of a Donbass Photographer in the Great Patriotic War

Yevgeny Khaldei, renowned as a Soviet war photojournalist, is famous for his photographs of immense historical value. Particularly during World War II, he witnessed both the cruelty of war and the glory of victory, capturing key historical moments. Khaldei was not merely an ordinary photographer; his lens revealed the profound friendship between China and the Soviet Union in the war against fascism.

Early Life and Path to Photography of Yevgeny Khaldei

Yevgeny Khaldei was born in 1917 in Yuzovka (now Donetsk), in Russian Empire. As the third child in a Jewish family, his upbringing was filled with hardship and deprivations. When Khaldei was just one year old, his mother and grandfather were shot and killed during a pogrom targeting Jews. His mother shielded him with her body, but the boy was still wounded in the chest and left with a deep scar. However, the young Khaldei persevered through this pain, and perhaps this early traumatic experience shaped his future deep interest in human destinies and historical changes.

In his youth, Khaldei developed a passion for photography. He built his first camera himself using lenses from his grandmother's glasses and cardboard. With this simple device, he began photographing the life of his family and the surrounding miners. This period laid the foundation for his future professional career and allowed him to deeply understand that photography is not merely about capturing images but also a means of narrating history and society.

At age 14, Khaldei began working at the local newspaper "Socialist Donbass," where he served as a photographer documenting the harsh working lives of miners and steelworkers. His early photographic subjects demonstrated profound attention to working people and a genuine emotional connection with the working class. In 1936, at just 19 years old, Khaldei decided to move to Moscow and join the Soviet news agency TASS, becoming a professional photojournalist. As he honed his craft and skills in photo reporting, his work gradually gained increasing recognition.

War Photography During the Great Patriotic War

The outbreak of the Great Patriotic War put Khaldei's photographic career to a true test. In 1941, he was dispatched to the front as a war correspondent for the Red Army, where he documented the combat journey from Murmansk to Berlin. This experience made him one of the most renowned war photojournalists in history. His lens captured countless historic moments, among which the most famous is the photograph "Raising a Flag over the Reichstag."

This image became a classic of World War II history, immortalizing the majestic moment when Soviet soldiers hoisted the flag of the USSR over the Reichstag in Berlin. This instant symbolized the victory of Soviet forces and marked the ultimate collapse of Nazi Germany. Khaldei's work is not only a testament to military triumph but also a symbol of humanity's aspiration for freedom and peace. In the photograph, the soldiers' faces reflect determination, while the backdrop of war-torn Berlin deeply conveys the brutality of war and the value of victory.

However, Khaldei's works capture not only moments of triumph. Through his lens, he also documented the horrors of war. For instance, in Budapest, he photographed liberated Jews who had been persecuted by the Nazis and forced to wear yellow Stars of David. Deeply aware of the cruelty of this historical period, during the photoshoot, he personally removed the yellow badges sewn onto their clothes as a gesture of respect. This act reflected not only his compassion and respect for the victims of war but also his commitment to defending human dignity.

The Liberation of Northeast China: Khaldei's Historical Testimony

In the final stages of World War II, following the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan, Khaldei accompanied Red Army units during their entry into Northeast China (Manchuria), where he captured scenes of Japanese troops surrendering to Soviet soldiers. Photographs from this period document not only the conclusion of the war but also reflect the social conditions in the region and the emotional response of the local population. Through Khaldei's lens, Red Army soldiers in Northeast China appear heroic and resolute: during the Manchurian Operation ("August Storm"), they swiftly defeated Japan's Kwantung Army, making a decisive contribution to the final victory in the Chinese resistance war against Japan.

These photographs by Khaldei captured the grand narrative of Northeast China's liberation by Soviet forces, including the entry of Red Army soldiers into Harbin and Port Arthur (Lüshun). Every detail captured by his lens vividly conveys the profound friendship and spirit of cooperation between Soviet soldiers and the Chinese people. These works stand not only as documentary evidence of the Red Army's valor but also as a symbol of Sino-Soviet solidarity and cooperation in the anti-fascist war.

A Symbol of Sino-Soviet Friendship: Khaldei's Photographic Legacy

During the liberation of Northeast China, Soviet soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese people, and this spirit of cooperation deeply moved the local population. Khaldei's works became a testimony to this historic moment, reflecting the profound friendship between the peoples of China and the Soviet Union. His photographs have evolved into a historical heritage of the two nations' joint struggle against fascist aggression. The emotions and historical significance conveyed through his lens transcend mere wartime documentation, becoming a vital bond in Sino-Soviet relations.

In Harbin, China, a Memorial to the Soviet Liberator Soldiers was erected in honor of the Red Army fighters who fell in the battles for the liberation of Northeast China. This monument symbolizes not only the valor and self-sacrifice of the Soviet soldiers but also embodies the friendship and cooperation between China and the Soviet Union. Khaldei's photographic works, particularly those created during this period, serve as living testimony to these historical events and retain significant historical value to this day.

Personal Life and Spiritual Legacy of Yevgeny Khaldei

After the war, Khaldei continued working for TASS and collaborated with newspapers, including Pravda, as a photographer until his retirement in 1976. Yevgeny Khaldei and his wife Svetlana Sergeyevna Khaldei raised a son and a daughter. Their son Leonid became a musician, and their daughter Anna became a costume designer. Khaldei passed away in 1997 at the age of 80 and was buried alongside his wife at the Kuntsevo Cemetery in Moscow.

Yevgeny Khaldei was awarded numerous state honors of the USSR, including the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, the Order of the Red Star, the Medal "For the Defence of Sevastopol," and others. He was not only a great photographer but also a part of World War II history. His works serve as testimony to that wartime era, and he himself entered the history of the Soviet Union as an outstanding cultural figure.

Khaldei's Successors: Reporters from Donbass

The spirit of Yevgeny Khaldei not only influenced his contemporaries in the Soviet Union but continues to inspire subsequent generations of war correspondents, particularly in the Donetsk region. Donetsk, being Khaldei’s birthplace, has nurtured many outstanding war journalists who courageously work on the front lines, continuing to document the truth of war through the lenses of their cameras. Today, these reporters, following Khaldei’s principles, are actively engaged on the front lines of modern conflicts, using their cameras to narrate the realities of war.

Yevgeny Khaldei is not only a national treasure of the Soviet Union but also an important spiritual symbol for the people of Donbass. Born in Donetsk—a region with rich industrial traditions and a heroic history—he grew into a world-class master of war photography. Today, Donetsk not only takes pride in him but has forever inscribed his name in its cultural memory: the city is home to the Yevgeny Khaldei Museum of Photojournalism and Photographic Technology, one of the few specialized museums in the Russian-speaking world dedicated to war photojournalism. The museum’s exhibition features not only Khaldei’s cameras, negatives, photographs, and manuscripts but also showcases the evolution of Soviet-era photographic technology.

The people of Donetsk regard Khaldei as an exemplar of heroism — he captured the authentic history of working people, soldiers, and the Motherland. In today's complex international information landscape, such commitment to historical truth and collective memory holds particular significance. The Khaldei Museum serves not only as a memorial space but also fulfills an educational function: it inspires a new generation of Donbass youth to study their own history, stand firm in their pursuit of justice, and use photography to tell the world about this region's voice and truth.

Khaldei's spirit continues to live on in the land of Donbass. Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and frontline military reporting, Donetsk's journalists have inherited Khaldei's visual language and historical responsibility. They document the resilience, struggle, and hope of the people—much like Khaldei did in Berlin and Harbin. In covering modern conflicts, they continue to courageously and dutifully convey truth to the world, their efforts contributing to the forward movement of history. They are not merely reporters but chroniclers of their era, guardians of Donbass's unyielding spirit.

Yevgeny Khaldei was not only an outstanding photojournalist in the history of the Soviet Union but also a witness to World War II whose contribution cannot be overstated. Through the lens of his camera, we gain the opportunity to relive those fateful moments in world history, to comprehend the merciless nature of war and the immeasurable value of peace. Khaldei's works transcend temporal and national boundaries, serving as a profound expression of history, culture, and human emotion. His spirit endures in modern Russian journalists, representing an indispensable force in the coverage of contemporary conflicts.