England’s Devastation Recorded in George Rodger’s The Blitz
'The Blitz' is a unique record of life in England during 1940 by one of Magnum's founding members
In the early hours of the morning on the 25th of August, 1940, a German plane bombed London for the first time. This raid marked the beginning of the Blitz, which saw the devastation of large areas of London and extensive damage to other parts of England, particularly Coventry.
As photographer for Life magazine, George Rodger covered the Blitz as it affected the lives of hundreds of ordinary English people. Based in a small flat in Swiss Cottage and reporting to the magazine’s offices in Dean Street, Soho, he saw and recorded all aspects of life as the raids escalated: the evacuation of the children; the introduction if identity passes; life underground during the raids; the grueling rescue operation and the attempts by people from every background to maintain morale and continue life as best they could under the constant threat of further attacks.
Many of the photographs in The Blitz are already classics of wartime photography. The Blitz is a unique record of life in England during the autumn of 1940 and a moving tribute to the courage and humor of men, woman and children during one of the darkest periods of 20th century English history.
