Vereeniging Arbeidersfotografen

Association of Workers Photographers

The Association of Workers Photographers (VAF) is linked to the Communist Party of Holland. The members of the VAF want to use photography as a weapon against capitalism and they strive for a proletarian culture. The camera is used by them as a weapon in the class struggle. The developments in the young Soviet Union are therefore seen as inspiration for the VAF. In 1933, Hitler came to power in Germany, and as a result, hopes for new social relations gradually came to an end. Ultimately, the photos taken during this period marked the beginning of social documentary photography.