Bondar's War: Unseen Truths

0:00In Sydney today, March 14th, Arthur Bondar has built a huge collection of Second World War negatives from photographers around the world, focusing only on originals to capture the raw truth of the conflict. These tiny films show soldiers in the stress, civilians in daily life, and moments of humanity amid the horror without any alterations that prints. Might have, he buys them sight unseen, often from old boxes, then scans and researches each one to uncover their stories. Living in Moscow for over a decade, Bondar smuggled his treasures out in eight trips during 2023, first to Georgia, and then to Germany. He now lives there in exile with his wife, a photographer from Ukraine. He left his own archive behind, hoping to get it back someday. The images challenge Russia's official view of the war as a pure victory, which leaders use to support their actions in Ukraine. Showing vulnerability and loss, these photos could be seen as dishonoring soldiers, a crime there since 2020. As a Ukrainian from a military family, Bondar faced

1:04extra risks like fines or jail during border checks, but he got them out after questioning. Bondar shares the collection through a website, printed books and museum shows, including one now at a site of a major 1945 battle, near Berlin. People from across the world contact him after spotting relatives in the scans, and he sends them high quality copies. His prized fines include work by Valery Feminsky, a Soviet photographer with poor eyesight who documented front-mind aid and candid scenes, and Olga. Ignatovich, one of few women on the front lines whose images, like those from Auschwitz, were once credited to her brother. With war in Ukraine ongoing, Bondar words harder to highlight war's true cost and folly. This episode is brought to you in partnership with our sponsor. Press play. Put your head down. The sound is already there.