Willi Ruge

About the Artist

Willi Ruge. Photo of Myself at the Moment of My Jump. From the series I Photograph Myself during a Parachute Jump. 1931. Gelatin silver print, 5 9/16 x 8 1/16" (14.2 x 20.4 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Thomas Walther Collection (MoMA 1849.2001.8)
Alternate Name(s) Fotoaktuell (Studio Name)

October 23, 1892	Born At location: Willi Ruge	Hamburg
1910	Attempts to build his own airplane; a crash ends this experiment At location: Willi Ruge	Hamburg
1910	Decides to become a photographer after reading in Der Illustrations-Photograph that photography is almost as dangerous as flying a plane At location: Willi Ruge	Hamburg
1910	Takes photographs for tabloid magazines Contributor: Willi Ruge	Berlin
1914–18	Serves as a photographer for the Luftwaffe At location: Willi Ruge	Germany
January 4–15, 1919	Photographs the Spartakus Aufstand revolts At location: Willi Ruge	Berlin
1921	Establishes Foto-Aktuell, a press photo company At location: Willi Ruge	Berlin
1929	Ruge's photograph of Arno Boettcher is chosen for the poster of the Film und Foto exhibition Affiliated: Willi Ruge	Stuttgart
1931	The parachuting series is first published in Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung, where it proves extremely popular Contributor: Willi Ruge	Berlin
Late 1930s	Travels in Africa At location: Willi Ruge	Africa
Late 1930s	Travels in South America At location: Willi Ruge	South America
1939–45	Returns to the air force during World War II At location: Willi Ruge	Germany
November 22, 1943	Bombing raids destroy his archive Affiliated: Willi Ruge	Berlin
After World War II	Contributes to magazines including Weltbild and Quick Contributor: Willi Ruge	Munich Berlin
1950–61	Works for Burda Verlag At location: Willi Ruge	Offenburg
February 6, 1961	Dies At location: Willi Ruge	Germany