New Theory: Gerda Taro, Not Robert Capa, Captured 'The Falling Soldier'

A fresh theory casts doubt on the authorship of Robert Capa's renowned photograph 'The Falling Soldier,' proposing that it may have been captured by his partner, Gerda Taro. Archaeologist Fernando Penco, who is organizing an exhibition at the University of Córdoba to commemorate the photo's 90th anniversary, argues that evidence from the camera supports Taro as the true photographer. On September 5, 1936, amidst the Spanish Civil War, Capa utilized a 35mm Leica, whereas Taro operated a Reflex Korelle 6×6. Penco discovered images of Taro with her camera on that day, and all square-format photographs from Espejo are credited to her. Notably, the negative for 'The Falling Soldier' remains unaccounted for. Taro, the first female war photojournalist to die in conflict, and Capa, originally named Endre Friedmann, first crossed paths in Paris in 1935.