SOIBELMAN SYNDICATE NEWS AGENCY COLLECTIONS

The Soibelman Syndicate News Agency Collection Archive at Visual Studies Workshop consists of approximately 40,000 "news" and "feature" photographs, several thousand negatives, and twenty cartons of business records, account books, logs, invoices, letters, scrapbooks, and tear sheets of a photographic picture agency which operated in New York City from 1932 to 1942.

The strength of the collection resides in the many extraordinary photographs of events and people occurring just before World War II -- including documents of the Spanish Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War, Nazi rallies in Germany and so on. However the Syndicate represented or obtained the work of other, earlier, collections as well --including the Andrew Halbran News Features, Kadel & Herbert News Service, and others-- and thus the Collection contains photographs of events and activities in the U.S.A. and overseas extending back to World War I and, occasionally, even earlier. These photographs were (and still are at this time) organized into rough "subject" groups -- i. e. "American Legion I, II, III," "Coney Island," "Spanish [Civil] War I, II, III," "W.P.A.," or "Great Britain: Personalities - A," "USA: Personalities - S," etc. Each category contains from approximately 30 to 200 photographs, each with a label or handwritten caption on the back of the print.

---

SPANISH CIVIL WAR Sample Photographs
click on photos for larger view                    Checklist

   

L.P. Anarchists in Spain ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. " Spirit of '37" Trumpeters of the International Brigade ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. A Communist Parade in Madrid. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive	L.P. Demonstrations In Madrid to pledge allegiance to Loyalist Government ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Barcelona: Funeral of Durretti, famous anarchist leader, who was killed in battle. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Barcelona: Funeral of Durretti, famous anarchist killed in battle. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Square of Autan (?) Martin, Madrid ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Looking over ruins of British Embassy in Madrid which was bombed by Spanish Rebels ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Home destroyed by a shell from a rebel ship at Valencia, Spain ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Home destroyed by a shell from a Rebel Ship at Valencia, Spain ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Ruins of homes in Valencia left in the wake of the most recent bombardment of this city by rebel ships in the harbor ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Orphaned by Rebel bombs over Madrid ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Rebel incendiary bombs on an oil depot in Malaga, Spain ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Fugitives from Avila and Segovia ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Mother and Child evacuating Avila, Spain ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Evacuation ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer An English Doctor, militiaman at the Madrid Front ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Group of Catalonian Soldiers waiting to be ordered to the "front" for the Loyalists. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Mail to soldiers at the front in the Spanish Civil War or any other is always a happy incident to look forward to during their brief rest period. These Catalonian soldiers were so interested in their mail they didn't see the photographer taking their picture. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Cleanliness being next to Godliness, these Catalonian soldiers ­ including the woman fighter, at the right ­ believe that washing their clothes is the next best thing to attending church services. It is also part of the National defense in Catalonia. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Repairing arms at the loyalist Front in Catalonia ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Southern Sector. Lying in ambush. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. University City. Thaelman Battalion. Loyalists. ca. 1936-39 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Volunteers from foreign countries in the International Column, outside Madrid ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Advance guard of Loyalists on the Esconial (?) Front ­ central Spain ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Loyalist: A Soldier of the People ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

L.P. Incendiary bombs on Madrid ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

S.C. Soldiers of the 137th Brigade playing with a group of children in Barcelona ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

S.C. Grieving for a son or husband killed at Lerida by the Rebels ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

S.C. Refugee from Teruel to escape Rebel bombs ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

S.C. Barcelona 1 de fevrero ce 1938. El Ministro de Defensa Nacional, conversando con el Sr. Portela Valladares despu's de la sesion De Cortes. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

S.C. Destruction caused by the Bombardment of Barcelona by the Rebels ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Universal Newsreel Loyalist Troops Take Key Position. Soldiers in the snow-covered trenches near Jaca fighting the Rebels. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Universal Newsreel Loyalist Troops Take Key Position. Loyalists running from one shelter to another over the snow-covered ground near Jaca. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Universal Newsreel Bloody Conflict Continues in Spain. A dramatic picture from the civil war front in Spain as the Loyalist militia and civilians continue to defend the villages surrounding San Sebastian. The civilian machine-gunner continues to blaze away at the rebels as his companion lies dead alongside. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Universal Newsreel Rebel troops, accompanied by some of the Moorish aides, are shown entering the city of Oviedo after breaking through the iron ring of Asturian miners. They brought much- needed supplied to the insurgents within, who had been standing off dynamiting by the Loyalists for about 3 months. ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Photographs and Press Release ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

Unidentified Photographer Aux fetes de Santiago de Compostelle. Le clerge salue a la Romaine. De gauche a droite: Obispo de Lugo; Arzibispo de Santiago; Canonigo de Santiago; Leopoldo de Eijo, Obispo de Madrid ca. 1936-1939 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

T.O. Basque Children in Bristol. The Lord Mayor of Bristol makes friends with some of the Basque refugee children after he had welcomed them on their arrival in Bristol. They are staying at the old Training Centre in Kingsdown. 1937 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

T.O. Basque Boys Violence Terrifies Welsh Villagers. Basque boys, aged from 8 to 18, at the Ministry of Labour Training camp at Brechfa, Carmarthenshire, have been involved in a number of serious incidents said to have spread terror among the villagers. Armed with steel table knives and heavy sticks, they skirmished with police in the village. Police examining broken windows in Brechfa Village,caused by the Basque boys. 1937 gelatin silver print Visual Studies Workshop Collection Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive

---

SPANISH CIVIL WAR 1936 - 1939 (Checklist)

Numbers in parenthesis ( ) indicate number of prints

the Soibelman Collection at Visual Studies Workshop includes 240 photographs (plus duplicates) in this category, plus an additional 62 photographs in the closely associated category SPAIN, BY COLUMBIA SILEO. The collections contain photographs derived from both Loyalist and Falangist sources, as well as photographs from neutral news agency sources. Together, the collection provides a small but fascinating look into 1930s propaganda techniques as well as visual glimpses into actual historical events. The category was divided into three parts.

SPANISH WAR I.

Credit line: PL

• Views of parades and demonstrations in Barcelona and Madrid by Loyalist supporters. (5)
• "Heroic" portraits of Loyalist volunteer militia. (8)
• Documentary evidential photographs of foreign fascist (German and Italian) participation in the war -- prisoners, downed airplanes, etc. (7)
• Photographs evidencing foreign support for the Loyalist cause --ambulances, medical teams, etc. (5)
• Photographic copies of pedagogical drawings used to train illiterate volunteer troops in battle tactics and survival strategies. (12)
• Group of broadsides, posters, tearsheets, pamphlets, and even a poem, published by the Conselleria de Defensa, Edicions de Comissariate de Propaganda de la Generalitit de Catalunya, or the Ministerio de Propaganda de la Republica Espanola, using the photographs or drawings,

  SPANISH WAR II.

  1. Credit line: PL

• Madrid bomb damage -- ruins, dead, orphans. "British Embassy Bombed." etc. (44)
• Valencia bomb damage (7)
• Malaga bomb damage (4)
• Malaga refugees (6)
• Avila and Segovia refugees (6)
• Cartegena bomb damage (2)
• Barcelona scenes (2)

  2. Credit line: PL

• Loyalist soldiers on the Catalonian front (20)
• Loyalist soldiers on the front outside Madrid (27)
• The International Brigade outside Madrid (6)
• Other fronts (7)

  The captions and texts are in Spanish handwritten on the back of all PL credited prints, with some English translations. Though small, the photographs are generally well-seen and well-printed on double weight paper with careful cropping. The quality of the vision, nature of the images, care in printing, handwritten Spanish captions, etc. all infer that the photographer or photographers supplying images through PL seem to have been invested in these events.

  3. Credit line: CS

• Barcelona Feb./Mar. 1938 Spanish Parliament, ministers meeting, etc. (8)
• Barcelona bomb damage, ruins, victims (6)
• Barcelona soldiers (2)
• Teruel battle aftermath, victims, wounded, refugees (7)
• Lerida victims, dead, mourners (7)

  This group, although not as carefully made as the PL photographs, are also clearly intended to be used as Loyalist propaganda images.

  4. Credit line: NU (Universal Newsreel)

• "Rebels bombarded in Alcazar" (5)
• "Ovedio, besieged for three months, finally gets relief" (3)
• "Madrid -- Rebel bombs tear capital" (4)
• "Armored trains aid Madrid" (2)
•  Barcelona - Spanish Loyalist government hurls troops against rebels" (2)
• "Tervel - Loyalist troops take key positions" (3)
• "San Sebastian - Bloody conflict continues in Spain" (4)
• "From Mother's arms to firearms" (2)

  May be single images printed from newsreel footage. 8"x10" single-weight photos, typed English captions, with standard photojournalism headings, language. Lesser quality prints, but hotter subjects, actually depicting firefights, etc. Combatants from both sides of this conflict displayed.

  5. Credit line: SH

• Madrid students watch fighting (1)
• Barcelona crowds watch burning church (1)

  SPANISH WAR III

  These are photographs depicting the aftermath of the Falangist victory in Spain, and thus constitute Falangist propaganda.

  Credit line: "Contreras y Vilaseca"?

• Occupation of Madrid by Falangist army, soldiers, officers, priests on display, in groups, and parades, etc. (26)
• Extensive captions in Spanish, describing contents of these photographs.

  Credit line: GG

• Children of fallen Spanish "Falangista" (Fascists) on parade in Rome (2)

  Credit line: OT

  "Little victims of Spanish Civil War arrive in England" Basque refugees. (6)

  The file SPAIN BY COLOMBO SILEO is a body of photographs by an foreign? photojournalist who traveled throughout Spain in August - September 1939. Sileo's views seem designed to depict Spain returning to normalcy after the conflict, with a focus on tourist resorts, a bull fight, the resumption of religious parades and religious practices, street markets. Among these are views of Loyalist prisoners and wounded in hospitals awaiting their trials, Falangist soldiers disbanding, returning home, etc. Ostensibly neutral, these photographs also function as Falangist propaganda.