History is written by the victors, they say. But what happens when history itself is rewritten, scrubbed clean of inconvenient truths or uncomfortable realities? What stories vanish with the stroke of a censor’s pen, the click of a delete key, or the strategic “misplacement” of a crucial negative? Join us as we delve into the shadowy corners of the past, exploring moments in history – powerful, pivotal, and often controversial – that were captured on camera but systematically erased from public view. This isn’t just about lost images; it’s about lost context, skewed narratives, and the deliberate shaping of collective memory. Prepare to uncover forgotten perspectives, challenge accepted truths, and ultimately, gain a deeper understanding of the hidden power dynamics that influence how we perceive the world around us. Prepare to witness the un-witnessed.

1) Stalin’s revisions

History, as captured by photographs, became a malleable tool in the hands of Joseph Stalin. Forget Photoshop; Stalin’s weapon of choice was blatant erasure. Individuals who fell out of favor – perceived enemies, disgraced officials, or simply those who knew too much – were meticulously scrubbed from official images. Sometimes it was a simple airbrush job, removing a person here and there from a group shot. Other times, more elaborate compositions were created, seamlessly inserting new figures or altering backgrounds to rewrite the narrative. The infamous case of Nikolai Yezhov, a former head of the NKVD, “disappearing” from a photo alongside Stalin after his execution is a chilling example. It’s a stark reminder that even seemingly objective visual records can be ruthlessly manipulated to serve a political agenda, leaving behind a distorted version of the past. The erased individuals became “unpersons”, destined to oblivion, not only from history books, but from the very fabric of visual memory.