The photographs of Hanoi from 1965 to 1975 taken by German photographer Thomas Billhardt became famous worldwide. His photos at the exhibition titled "A Reunion with Vietnam," recently held in Ho Chi Minh City, has deeply touched many generations of Vietnamese people today.
The photographs of Hanoi from 1965 to 1975 taken by German photographer Thomas Billhardt became famous worldwide. His photos at the exhibition titled "A Reunion with Vietnam," recently held in Ho Chi Minh City, has deeply touched many generations of Vietnamese people today.
Photographer Thomas Billhardt at the "A reunion with Vietnam" photo exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Files
Photographer Thomas Billhardt was born in 1937 in Chemnitz, Germany. He is recognized as one of the most prominent documentary photographers of the German Democratic Republic era. His photographs played a significant role in showcasing the horrors of the war in Vietnam (1965-1975) to the world.
During the most intense years of the American war in Vietnam, bombs and bullets were scattered across the battlefield from the North to the South. Thomas Billhardt made a total of seven trips to Vietnam during this period, and the photographs he took were published in various photography magazines with captions reflecting the resistance, such as "Pilots in Pyjamas" (1968), "Longing for Peace: Vietnam" (1973), "Hanoi - The days before Peace” (1973) and "Faces of Vietnam" (1978).
The people of Vietnam during the war naturally came into Thomas's lens. There were images of four young children sitting together under a bomb shelter, the smiling face of a female guerrilla, small children on a cyclo, a barefoot boy bathing in the river, Vietnamese soldiers with rifles on their shoulders, and the devastated streets with only fragments from the destruction. All of them were beautiful, simple, and gently reflected the optimism and resilience of the Vietnamese people in the face of war.
In 2023, when Thomas Billhardt made his return to Vietnam, he exuded a lively and energetic spirit, defying his advanced age. He actively engaged in workshops and conversations with the public in Hanoi, where his enthusiasm ignited whenever Vietnam, particularly the historical photographs of Hanoi taken from 1965 to 1975, was brought up. Reflecting on his experiences, Thomas Billhardt said that he had had the opportunity to visit Hanoi seven times during its darkest years from 1967 to 1975. He remarked that during that time, the city had been ravaged, and its inhabitants had lived in constant fear. However, upon his return to Hanoi, he observed a city that was thriving and experiencing rapid growth. He noted that its people exhibited open minds, confidence, and a warm hospitality towards visitors.
Thomas Billhardt recounted that he considered one of the first photographs he took in Vietnam to be the most impressive. He mentioned that upon his arrival in Hanoi for the first time, there had been an air raid siren in response to a US airstrike. As a result, the bustling streets of Hanoi swiftly emptied as people sought refuge in underground shelters. After the alarm subsided, he witnessed several children opening the shelter lids, which led him to capture a photograph featuring four boys. He believed that the image of these boys, with their innocent eyes, encapsulated the essence of his historic photograph.
Artworks closely connected to Thomas Billhardt in Vietnam. Photo: Files
Despite 48 years passing since the war in Vietnam ended, the emotions of Thomas Billhardt towards Hanoi remain as strong as ever, reflecting his deep love for Vietnam. Thomas Billhardt showed his “A reunion with Vietnam" exhibition in Hue in May./.
In 2020, Nha Nam Publishing Company collaborated with the Goethe-Institute Vietnam to publish a photography book titled "Hanoi 1967-1975" and held an exhibition in Hanoi. In 2023, the Goethe-Institute Vietnam exhibited the photographs by Thomas Billhardt in Ho Chi Minh City under the name "A reunion with Vietnam".
Story: Bich Van/VNP Photos: Khanh Long & Files Translated by Hong Hanh