Emmanuil Noevich Yevzerikhin’s "The Children's Fountain in Stalingrad" (1942) stands as one of the most powerful photographic records of World War II’s Eastern Front. Taken on August 23, 1942, amid the devastating Nazi air raids on Stalingrad that claimed 40,000 civilian lives in a single day, this haunting image juxtaposes the innocence of childhood with the brutal realities of war. The photograph quickly became iconic, capturing both the unique tragedy of Stalingrad and the universal horror of conflict.
The fountain, installed just three years earlier in 1939, was inspired by a fairy-tale poem by Korney Chukovsky. It features concrete figures of children dancing the traditional Russian khorovod (circle dance) around a crocodile, positioned at the centre of the frame. The image’s power lies in the stark contrast between foreground and background—their eternal dance frozen against a backdrop of burning buildings and destruction. Yevzerikhin’s composition places the sculptures on a raised platform, creating a theatrical staging that intensifies the surreal juxtaposition. The empty square surrounding the fountain serves as a striking negative space, emphasising the absence of children and civilian life in the war-ravaged city.
Technically, the photograph demonstrates Yevzerikhin’s skillful approach to photojournalism, utilising his preferred large-format camera to capture extraordinary detail and tonal contrast. The monochromatic palette emphasises textural contrasts between the smooth surfaces of the sculptures and the jagged ruins behind them. Billowing smoke creates a dramatic atmospheric effect, while the sharp focus on the fountain ensures the figures' symbolic presence remains both clear and poignant. This technical precision, refined during Yevzerikhin's early career with Soyuzfoto and Fotokhronika TASS, enables the image to function as both documentary evidence and artistic statement.
Yevzerikhin (1911–1984) began his photographic journey at a young age, receiving his first camera while still in primary school. A long-serving TASS correspondent and Communist Party member, he documented pivotal moments in Soviet history, particularly during World War II. His wartime photography earned him the Order of the Red Star and the "For the Defense of Stalingrad" medal. This image, his most recognized work, has been widely reproduced and serves as a lasting symbol of wartime destruction. The fountain itself, restored after the war but dismantled in the 1950s, was replicated in 2013 at several sites in modern-day Volgograd—a testament to the enduring impact of Yevzerikhin’s photograph and its relevance as a symbol of peace and remembrance.
