Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein

Photo: A black and white photo of a group of women in New York City in 1943 titled “Little Italy, New York.” 

Credit: Fred Stein

Many may recognize the photographs of German photographer Fred Stein, but few know his name.

Award-winning Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein tells the story of a man caught up in one of history’s darkest moments. Forced into a life of exile in the 1930s, Stein found himself in Paris, then 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. Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein airs on Monday, September 4, 2023 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Living in Dresden, Germany with his wife Lilo, Fred was a law student and politically involved. It was his anti-Nazi activity as well as their Jewish heritage that forced them to flee in 1933. In Paris, Fred turned to photography as a means to earn money, finding that he had a natural gift for it. When the war began, Fred’s journey was perilous, yet he eventually found refuge in New York. His most famous photo is a portrait of Albert Einstein – an iconic image of a great soul – but his portraits and reportage had appeared in newspapers, magazines, and books throughout the world.