The history of the 20th century in the photographs of the "first paparazzo" Lucien Aigner
He captured moments before the world even knew the word "paparazzi." Lucien Aigner, a man with a small Leica and a keen sense of the moment, transformed a chance shot into a document of an era. His lens captured Mussolini and Einstein, refugees and movie stars, politics and everyday life. His photographs reveal the history of the 20th century, seen through the eyes of a witness, always one step closer to the events.
Lucien Aigner was born on September 14, 1901, in Nové Zámky, Slovakia (Austria-Hungary). His parents gave him his first Brownie camera on his ninth birthday. They couldn't have imagined that this gift would shape their son's destiny.
Lucien took his first photographs of his family and neighbors. After finishing school, he enrolled in law school at his father's behest. But a career as a lawyer didn't appeal, and in 1926, Aigner began earning money as a photojournalist.
Lucien Aigner rose to prominence in the Hungarian newspaper Az Est. Armed with a Leica—a German camera to which he remained faithful throughout his life—the photographer captured breaking news reports of the most interesting events. At a time when staged photography reigned supreme, he managed to capture fleeting moments, astonishing everyone with his agility and skill.
In 1927, Aigner moved to Paris. Until 1937, he headed the Az Est branch for Hungarian émigrés. He also worked freelance for publications such as L'Illustration, Picture Post, Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung, and Münchner Illustrierte.
In the mid-1930s, he photographed politicians extensively in London, Paris, and Berlin. His work prefaced the Second World War. He served as a correspondent for the London General Press at the Stresa Conference in 1935.
One day, Aigner caught Benito Mussolini sneezing. The shot graced the cover of Newsweek in 1940 and earned him recognition as one of the first masters of photojournalism. In 1939, fleeing Nazi repression, he left France and emigrated to the United States.
After settling in New York, Aigner chose the freelance route. He photographed for the Christian Science Monitor and the New York Times. He spent some time at Princeton University on assignment for one of the publications, documenting the life and work of Albert Einstein.
Aigner was the scientist's favorite photographer, though he disliked being photographed. Most of the iconic portraits of the great physicist were taken with Lucien Aigner's Leica. In 1948, the master suddenly lost interest in reportage photography.
He went into radio: as an announcer, screenwriter, producer, and director for the Voice of America. But he didn't abandon photography—he opened a studio in Massachusetts and created portraits of ordinary Americans. He died on March 29, 1999, in Waltham, Massachusetts.
His photographs aren't just chronicles of the 20th century, but moments in which history holds its breath. Aigner saw more than just what was happening before his lens: emotions, atmosphere, essence. Do you think one successful shot can truly change our perception of an era?