This page lists the known war correspondents, war photographers, war artists, and war cinematographers who were active during the First and Second Balkan Wars.
The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, and comprised actions of the Balkan League (Serbia, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria) against the Ottoman Empire. Montenegro declared war on 8 October and Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece followed suit on 17 October. The war concluded with the signing of the Treaty of London on 30 May 1913. The Second Balkan War broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Bucharest by the three powers on 10 August 1913.
An estimated 200–300 journalists from around the world covered the war in the Balkans in November 1912.[1]
The official censorship bureau was established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens.[2] Each journalist had to make an application to proceed to the front, and enclose a photograph, together with a certificate from their country's Ministry in Athens. The Greek Government then issued the journalist an identity card which identified the paper he or she represented, his or her photograph, and a copy of his or her signature. The journalist was given a spade-shaped blue-and-white badge the size of a small plate to pin on their chest, on which the letters "ΕΦ" were worked, being the initial letters of the Greek word for "Newspaper" (Εφημερίδα).[2]
The day after the Battle of Sarantaporo, journalists were allowed to proceed to the Epirus front.[2]
Following the outbreak of hostilities in 1912, almost 150 foreign correspondents rushed to Bulgaria, which was soon identified as the center of all major military developments.[3] The Bulgarian government was successful in identifying and controlling the journalists. The authorities required each journalist to carry a red identification card that included his or her photograph and signature, to wear a red brassard that had the letters "BK" meaning военен кореспондент and a number, and to carry a document informing the various persons who the journalist was and what the Army Headquarters would allow them to do.[4]
Forty-five journalists from all around the world assembled in Belgrade to cover the First Balkan War. Foreign journalists, unless cleared by the General Staff, were not permitted in forward positions for the duration of hostilities.[5]
The First Balkan War provided the most extensive testing ground before the First World War for the new technology of large-scale filming, with more than 20 camera operators travelling to the region.[3] One of the first movies, and definitely the first war documentary in German film history, was created by two German cinematographers: Robert Isidor Schwobthaler, and Albert Herr.[6] The film was titled With the Greeks in the firing line (1913). It has been preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive from a 35mm tinted nitrate print. It can be watched through this link. The two cinematographers are seen together for ten seconds (36:05 - 36:26) in the film. Schwobthaler is the bearded man on the left, and Albert Herr on the right of the picture. Schwobthaler is seen in several parts of the film, which probably makes Albert Herr the man behind the movie camera.
| Name | Nationality | Conflict [7] | News media [8] | Area & dates [9] | Other information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herr, Albert | German | B.W.I & probably B.W.II | War photographer & journalist & cinematographer for Freiburg's Express Films Co. | Epirus & Macedonia in 1913 & Bulgaria. | Born in Kirchzarten, Germany, 3.4.1890. Died on 7.9.1943.[10] | |
| Schwobthaler, Robert Isidor | German | B.W.I & B.W.II | War photographer & journalist & cinematographer for Freiburg's Express Films Co. | Epirus & Macedonia in 1913 & Bulgaria | Born in Endingen, Germany, in 1876. Died in Paris, 1934. See, also, an article in UCLA Library. He might be the creator of the known film taken in the Kresna Pass. More about him could be found in this informative article. The film can be seen in this youtube link. | |
| Poulidis, Petros | Greek | B.W.I | War photographer | He was born at the village of Tseritsana (Laka Souli/Epirus) in 1885. Said to be "the first Greek -unofficial- war photographer.[11] | In 1903, Petros Poulidis (a young man from Souli) was driven out of Constantinople, where he had been studying, and sought refuge in Athens. He brought with him a wooden box camera with plates, which he had bought in Constantinople in 1900. He worked in Athens as a photo-reporter. One of his most characteristic photographs is that of "Crown Prince Constantine at Souli [sic] before entering Ioannina, 21.2.1913", as he wrote on the back of the photograph. He died in Athens (;), on December 3, 1967.[12] | |
| Bogdanović, Dyordye Dyoka | Serbian | B.W.II | War cinematographer | Shot footage on the Serbian front in July 1913. | Born 1860, Serbia. He set up Belgrade's first movie theatres in 1905. The experience of the First First Balkan War led him to the idea of re-enacting Serbian victories for the camera. With the outbreak of the Second Balkan War, he was able to take real footage at the front, with which he made a number of short documentaries and newsreels. Bogdanović's newsreels from that conflict rank among the earliest cinematic recordings showing soldiers in action in real war situations.[13] | |
| Leune, Jean Victor Charles Edmond | French | B.W.I | War correspondent (grand reporter) and war photographer for L'Illustration, (Paris) | Mid-October 1912 – May 1913, covered the fronts in Thessaly, Macedonia and Epirus | In 1913, Jean and Hélène Leune both contributed chapters to the book Dans les Balkans, 1912–1913: récits et visions de guerre, that describe their wartime expériences. The following year, Jean wrote Une revanche, une étape: avec les Grecs à Salonique par Athènes et la Macédoine, campagne de 1912. | |
| Leune Vitivilia, Hélène | French, Greek from Constantinople | B.W.I | War correspondent for L'Illustration, (Paris) and Le Figaro, (Paris) | Mid-October 1912 – May 1913, covered the fronts in Thessaly, Macedonia and Epirus | In 1913, Jean and Hélène Leune both contributed chapters to the book Dans les Balkans, 1912–1913: récits et visions de guerre, that describe their wartime expériences. | |
| Puaux, Réné | French | B.W.I B.W.II | Correspondent for Le Temps, (Paris).[14] | Covered Epirus and Albania, and Serres in July 1913 | Born 1878, died 1937. Wrote The Sorrows of Epirus, (1918). | |
| Trappman, Albert Henry William (Captain) | ? | B.W.I B.W.II | Special correspondent, Military correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, (London) | Followed the Army of Epirus during the First Balkan War. Followed the Greek Army during the Second Balkan War. Was in Serres, July 1913, | Born 15 September 1876 – Died 25 May 1933, Italy. Served as Captain in 25th County of London Cyclist Battalion, the London Regiment from 1 April 1908 – 3 July 1915.[15] He was one of nine foreign journalists covering the war who co-signed a letter in July 1913 condemning the Bulgarian atrocities in Serres.[16] He wrote "The Greeks Triumpant (1915). | |
| Labranche, Etienne | French | B.W.I | War correspondent and war photographer for Le Temps, (Paris) | October 1912 – March 1913 & November 1913 – December 1913, covered the fronts in Thessaly, Macedonia, Epirus, The islands of northern Aegean, and Crete. | It has been supported that he wrote with this pseudonym, but was actually Stephane A. Vlastos.[17] | |
| Donohoe, Martin Henry | Irish, Australian | B.W.I | War correspondent for The Times, (London).[18] [19] | Covered the Balkan War 1912–1913. Accompanied the Turkish army. Present at the Battles of Chorlu and Lule Burgas.[20] | Born Galway, Ireland, 1869 – Died 1927. Emigrated to Australia in the early 1890s and entered journalism in 1892 with the Sydney Courier Australian. | |
| Woods, Henry Charles | ? | B.W.I B.W.II | Correspondent for The Evening News.[21] | Reported the Balkan Wars in 1912–1913 | Born 1881 – Died 1939. | |
| Baldwin, Herbert | ? | B.W.I | War photographer for the Central News Agency, (London).[22] | Reported the 1912 Balkan War. He started following Turkish forces and was present during the Turkish retreat following Lule Burgas. | His account was published as A War Photographer in Thrace – An Account of Personal Experience During the Turco-Balkan War, 1912 (1913) | |
| Baring, Maurice | English | B.W.I B.W.II | The Balkan correspondent of The Times, (London).[23] | Covered the Balkan War 1912–1913 | Born 1874, Mayfair, London – Died 1945. He was hired by the Times in 1912, and he was stationed in the Balkan unit the outbreak of World War I. | |
| Ashmead-Bartlett, Ellis | English | B.W.I | Special correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, (London).[24] |