Janis Doreds

John Dored (23.04.1881–22.09.1954) was a Latvian film journalist who managed repeatedly to defy death while filming some of the most dramatic conflicts of the 20th century – the Russian Revolution, World War I, the Spanish Civil War, and critical events leading to World War II – the invasion of Ethopia, the Anschluss, the annexation of Sudetenland and the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, the invasion of Poland.

"After a serious self-analysis I have to admit that I am a natural born adventurer. Probably it is in my blood – to look for disorders, to dive into the unknown, to get into unfamiliar situations, even if my life is in danger.”

In the first part of the XX century film reporters were the main source of visual information. Newsreels opened every cinema screening. The most adroit and cunning reporters could foresee the event, could lead their lives in a constant movement, travelling, changing hotel rooms, being far away from their families and homes.

One of the most respected ones was John Dored, the reporter of the Paramount News, who almost for half a century was documenting in all parts of the world and most often where any historical event was taking place – on the fronts of the First World War, February Revolution in Russia, Italian invasion to Ethiopia, civil war in Spain, Anschluss of Austria, military operations of the allies during the Second World War.

Colleagues were calling him “The Crazy Latvian” because Doreds was born in Cзsis and his given name was Jвnis, but he was „the crazy” because sometimes he managed to get close to people and places that no one else dared to try. International fame came to Doreds when he illegally managed to film the funeral of Lenin.

Afterwards, when the film was already abroad, Cheka arrested Doreds and sentenced to death. He was rescued only due to the protests by British and American governments. He was in jail also during the Spanish civil war and only a lucky coincidence helped him to escape from Franco. It is not possible to tell about Janis Doreds that it was his childhood dream to become a film reporter.

Destiny brought him to places related to photography. When he was 13 he got a job in one of the best photography shops in Moscow. Janis Doreds learned all the technological processes and became one of the leading specialists of the enterprise. Once on the table of the director’s office he saw a shining, previously not seen device.

The young man was enchanted: “The truth is that it was not the device that enchanted me. I was attracted by the possibility to reproduce life as it is: dynamic, not only static as on photographs.”

From 1925 to 1950 Doreds was employed by Paramount News as a world reporter. There are thousands of meters of newsreels left, which immortalize the unique events of the previous century, evidences of the epoch, where along the images of the past the breath, the attentive look and excited heartbeats of the reporter will always be present. There, forever and ever the heartbeats of the Janis Doreds will be heard.

Autobiography at:

http://lyshaug.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/john-doreds-youth-part-2/

Source: Arsenals.lv