Jürgen Schadeberg (1931–2020) was a German-born South African photographer whose iconic images helped define the visual legacy of Drum magazine and the Sophiatown Renaissance. Arriving in South Africa in 1950, Schadeberg became Drum’s chief photographer and picture editor, mentoring a generation of Black photographers including Bob Gosani, Ernest Cole, and Alf Kumalo.
His camera documented a vibrant yet politically fraught era—capturing figures such as Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, and Dolly Rathebe in moments of both defiance and joy. Schadeberg’s work offers a poignant visual record of apartheid-era South Africa, distinguished by its empathy, elegance, and historical insight.
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Jürgen Schadeberg (1931–2020) was a German-born South African photographer whose iconic images helped define the visual legacy of Drum magazine and the Sophiatown Renaissance. Arriving in South Africa in 1950, Schadeberg became Drum’s chief photographer and picture editor, mentoring a generation of Black photographers including Bob Gosani, Ernest Cole, and Alf Kumalo.
His camera documented a vibrant yet politically fraught era—capturing figures such as Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, and Dolly Rathebe in moments of both defiance and joy. Schadeberg’s work offers a poignant visual record of apartheid-era South Africa, distinguished by its empathy, elegance, and historical insight.
