Top Pick: Dežo Hoffmann - Slovak photographer of the Beatles

Photographs by Slovak Dežo Hoffman, one of the most popular photographers of the world's celebrities, will be exhibited in Bratislava beginning November 29. The aim of the exhibition is to draw attention to Slovak natives who have become popular abroad.
Dežo Hoffmann first gained notoriety when he snapped early photographs of the legendary lads from Liverpool, the Beatles. He went to England in the early 1960s as the Beatles were just beginning their climb to stardom. By spending time with the band in the early days, he built a friendship with them that lasted throughout the seven plus years of fervent 'Beatlemania'.
Dežo took more shots of the group and was closer to the boys than any other photographer in the world. He covered all their significant events, from their audition at Abbey Road and their first tour to radio shows and Beatle films.


Slovak photographer Dežo Hoffman chronicled the Beatles throughout their career.
photo: Dežo Hoffmann

Photographs by Slovak Dežo Hoffman, one of the most popular photographers of the world's celebrities, will be exhibited in Bratislava beginning November 29. The aim of the exhibition is to draw attention to Slovak natives who have become popular abroad.

Dežo Hoffmann first gained notoriety when he snapped early photographs of the legendary lads from Liverpool, the Beatles. He went to England in the early 1960s as the Beatles were just beginning their climb to stardom. By spending time with the band in the early days, he built a friendship with them that lasted throughout the seven plus years of fervent 'Beatlemania'.

Dežo took more shots of the group and was closer to the boys than any other photographer in the world. He covered all their significant events, from their audition at Abbey Road and their first tour to radio shows and Beatle films.

Born in 1912 in Banská Štiavnica, Dežo had his first brush with show business as a member of a film crew in a Prague studio. During World War II, he went out into the battlefield as a news cameraman. After the War, he began his career as a freelance photographer of celebrities and took photos of Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Luis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich. By applying the techniques he learned in the war to photographing shows and concerts - utilising the available light with smaller, simpler cameras - he created his unique style. Dežo was also the first photographer to use colour film for live show-biz photography.

The exhibition of Dežo Hoffmann, featuring photographs of the Beatles and other celebrities, will take place in Galéria mesta Bratislava (GMB) at Mirbachov Palace on Františkánske námestie 11. Part of the exhibition will be a presentation of Marián Pauer's book "Photographer of the Beatles", capturing Dežo's life and work. The exhibition runs from November 29 to January 14 and is open daily except Mondays from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is 20-40 Sk. Tel: 5443 1556.

By Zuzana Habšudová

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