Page 16 - Cape-Camera-May-June-2021

May/June 2021 Cape Camera

A member’s profile

Creating art photography is one of Anna's passions. Both these images were inspired by famous paintings of the Old Masters -
Canaletto and Turner.
Meet the Cape Camera editor

by Trudi du Toit

There is a good reason why the fascinating life story of Cape Camera edi-
tor Anna Engelhardt has never featured in this publication. She has re-

sisted every attempt at being interviewed … until a bit of blackmail and

a few trade-offs eventually forced her to relent - reluctantly. Luckily, be-
cause she has a most interesting story to tell!

A few minutes in conversation with Anna Engelhardt and you’ll goods) was stored - was thankfully spared the bombings en-
know that you are in the company of a special kind of person: dured by Nuremberg, 50km away. The town, situated along the
unafraid to defend her convictions and a rebel willing to stand romantic Altmühl River, began as a Benedictine monastery in
up for a cause, she hits all curve balls life might throw at her the 8th century on what was then an important trade route be-
right back. In addition, she can converse knowledgeably and in- tween North and South Germany, explains Anna.
terestingly on any topic - from history, art, music to food science Her family home, already officially mentioned in 950 AD, played
and microbiology. an important part in the town’s history. It was originally built
The fact that Anna is not like everybody else, could perhaps be as a defence tower with two meter thick walls and arrow slits
traced to her extraordinary childhood. Born two weeks before at regular intervals in what later became her parents’ bedroom.
the start of the World War 2 in August 1939, Anna’s early years As it was a historical building they were not allowed to change
were spent in a country at war and her teenage years in a coun- the exterior, but her father had modernised and converted the
try recovering from the deprivation caused by the war. inside into four storeys with a shop on the ground floor, their
The beautiful Bavarian mediaeval town, Herrieden, where her apartment on the first floor and two other apartments above,
family lived in the ‘Fronfeste’ - a fort where the tithe (taxed which were rented out. The cellar, two storeys down, bore testi-

Of all the genres, it is black & white photography that is closest to her heart.

15 Cape Town Photographic Society