Gerdy Taro, the pioneer of war photography and heroine of the anti-fascist movement, armed with her camera, ventured into the hottest combat areas and was the first photojournalist to fall in battle. Gerdy Taro’s funeral took place in Paris on 1 August 1937, on her 27th birthday. The ceremony turned into a mass demonstration attended by political activists and artists, including Pablo Neruda and Louis Aragon.
In his work, Gerdy Taro was inspired by the maxim of his teacher, friend, and for many years partner, Robert Capa, one of the greatest photojournalists of the 20th century. But it is safe to assume that without Taro, Capa (who owes his stage name to her) would not have achieved such fame. We also know today that some of the shots attributed to Capa were, in fact, her work.
Helena Janeczek was born in Munich into a Polish Jewish family. She has lived in Italy for over thirty years. She is the author of the novels “Cibo” (2002), “Rondini di Monte Cassino” (also published in Poland) and “Lezioni di tenebra” (2011). “La ragazza con la Leica” was awarded in 2018 the Strega Prize and the Bagutta Prize.
