Vishniac often positioned himself in doorways or building foyers in his Berlin street photography, documenting daily life as a removed observer. This image reveals multiple layers of time in one shot: the car positioned alongside the horse-drawn wagon, bicyclists speeding by as pedestrians young and old navigate the cobblestones and pavement, against the backdrop of a rapidly modernizing metropolis. Only upon closer examination can the viewer notice a swastika flag blowing in the wind above the horses; such flags and banners were a common site on most Berlin streets by 1935.

For all uses of photographs by Roman Vishniac contact ICP at: vishniac_archive@icp.org.