Werner Rohde

1906–1990

Werner Rohde (German, 1906–1990) took up photography in 1927 as an art student at the Kunstgewerbeschule at Burg Giebichenstein in Halle under the supervision of Erwin Hahs and Hans Finsler. After meeting László Moholy-Nagy Rohde began experimenting with double exposures, unusual camera angles, and lighting effects. His future wife, fashion designer Renata Bracksieck, was his favorite model. In 1929 his work was shown in Stuttgart’s Film und Foto exhibition. During a lengthy stay in Paris he became friends with Paul Citroen and Marianne Breslauer. Until 1936 he also worked as a fashion photographer for magazines. After military service during World War II and internment as a prisoner of war he took over his father’s glass painting studio in Worpswede in 1945.