Stunning Photos of Paris in the 1930s and Early 1940s Taken by Roger Schall

Roger Schall (1904 – 1995) was a renowned French photographer of the 1930s & 1940s. He began working with his father, a portrait photographer in 1918. Schall was among the first photojournalists to start shooting with Leica and Rolleiflex cameras.

Pont Neuf, Paris, 1935.

His first publications were noticed by the major press in 1932 and from then on he was regularly given assignments by them. His studio in Montmartre, created with his brother in 1931, became a photo agency and handled images that were published by the most world-famous magazines including Vu, Vogue, L’illustration, Picture Post, Bystander, Life and Paris Match, representing 150 covers and 10,000 printed photos. 

After the agency closed in 1939, Schall returned to Paris to photograph daily life under the German occupation through to the Liberation of Paris in 1945. He hid the negatives so they would not be seen by the censors. From post-war to the 1970’s he continued working in fashion and focused mainly on commercial and publicity work instead of photojournalism.

Cobblestone street, Paris, 1930.

Pont d’Iéna, Paris, 1930s.

Le Normandy, Paris, 1935.

La Place Blanche, Paris, 1930.

Les Quais, Paris, 1935.

Ragpickers, Paris, 1935.

Eiffel Tower, Paris,  1935.

Les Princes, Paris, 1935.

Moulin Rouge, Paris, 1935.

Ménilmontant, Paris, 1935.

Street sweeper on rue Visconti, Paris, 1935.

Clochard Unijambiste, 1935.

Arrival in New York on the Normandie 1, 1935.

Stalingrad metro station, 1936.

Jaurès metro station, Paris, 1936.

Les 6 jours au Vel’d’Hiv, Paris, 1936.

Canal Saint-Martin, Paris, 1936.

Taking the subway, Paris, 1941.

Bicycle taxi at the Louvre, Paris, 1943.