Origins & Early Life

Arthur Fellig (born Ascher Fellig; June 12, 1899 – December 26, 1968), known by his pseudonym Weegee, was a photographer and photojournalist, known for his stark black and white street photography in New York City. Weegee worked in Manhattan's Lower East Side as a press photographer during the 1930s and 1940s and developed his signature style by following the city's emergency services and documenting their activity. Much of his work depicted unflinchingly realistic scenes of urban life, crime, injury and death. Weegee published photographic books and also worked in cinema, initially making his own short films and later collaborating with film directors such as Jack Donohue and Stanley Kubrick.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Weegee was born Ascher (later modified to Usher) Fellig in Złoczów (now Zolochiv, Ukraine), near Lemberg in Galicia and Lodomeria, a region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His given name was changed to Arthur after he immigrated with his Jewish family to New York in 1909. The father of the family, Bernard Fellig, emigrated in 1908, followed in 1909 by his wife and their four children, including "Usher Felik", as his name was spelled on the steerage passenger list of the steamship...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Capone — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Aldo Nadi — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Italian fencing champion known for his Olympic success and teaching in the US.
• Alfred Hitchcock — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Master of Suspense, influential English filmmaker known for psychological thrillers.
• Ajay Devgn — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker known for diverse roles in Hindi cinema.
• Alexander Gettler — Contemporary (Died in 1968) (1968): Pioneering American forensic toxicologist and father of modern medicolegal investigation.
• Alfredo Reinado — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): East Timorese military commander and rebel leader during the 2006 crisis.
• Al-Zamakhshari — Shared historical date (06-12 · Died) (1144): Pioneering scholar of Quranic exegesis, linguistics, and theology.
• Anne Frank — Shared historical date (06-12 · Born) (1929): German-born diarist whose secret writings documented life in hiding during the Holocaust.
• Alejo Carpentier — Shared historical date (12-26 · Born) (1904): Influential Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist of the Latin American Boom.
• Arthur Percival — Shared historical date (12-26 · Born) (1887): British Army officer, known for commanding forces during the Malayan Campaign and the fall of Singapore.
• 1899 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1899
• June 12 (06-12) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 12
• 1968 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1968
• December 26 (12-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 26