Man who captured Gorbals life dies
THE German-born photographer who documented the final days of the old Gorbals tenements in a series of potent images has died at the age of 89.
Jürgen Schadeberg was born in Berlin, but emigrated to South Africa in 1951 and was best known for his photographs of former president Nelson Mandela and the apartheid regime.
He became one of only a few white photographers who photographed daily life among the black community, capturing the beginnings of the freedom movement, the effects of apartheid and the vibrancy of township life.
He was sent to Glasgow in 1968 to photograph the aftermath of the demolition and the re-housing of families for a newspaper feature about homelessness.
Our sister title The Glasgow Times interviewed Mr Schadeberg by email in June, with the assistance of his wife Claudia, when he said it was to his regret that he had never returned to the city to witness the dramatic transformation of the area.
He said it was his hope that the images would be displayed in a Glasgow museum for the families who had taken part in the series. He also recalled how families feared the demolition would “destroy the strong community spirit.”
By the time the old tenements were brought down, overcrowding was rife and sewage and water facilities inadequate.
Redevelopment of the area began in the late 1950s and the tenements were replaced with a modern tower block complex in the sixties.
Mr Schadeberg is known for capturing the iconic picture of Mandela looking through the bars of his cell on Robben Island.