Robert Schnitzlein, 72, global photojournalist
deb...@comcast.net
Friday, September 29, 2006
BY GEORGE BERKIN
Star-Ledger Staff
When Henry Kissinger traveled to China in preparation for Richard
Nixon's first visit, Robert Schnitzlein was there to record
journalism's "first draft" of history.
Not in words, but in pictures.
As the United Press International photo editor based in Hong Kong, Mr.
Schnitzlein traveled with Kissinger as he met with Chinese officials.
Because he was the "pool" photographer feeding to the other wire
services, Mr. Schnitzlein was the only wire photographer present, said
Mr. Schnitzlein's former colleague, Larry Rubenstein of Fairfax, Va.
"No one had ever done that before," Rubenstein said of his colleague
accompanying Kissinger on the historic trip. "Kissinger was the most
famous person in the world, even more famous than Nixon was."
Over the course of more than 40 years as a news photographer and photo
editor, Mr. Schnitzlein took part in covering everything from Olympics
and presidential campaigns to the civil rights movement, earthquakes
and papal visits.
A resident of the Kendall Park section of South Brunswick, Mr.
Schnitzlein died at home early Tuesday morning. He was 72.
The cause of death was pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of lung tissue,
family members said.
As a UPI photographer covering civil rights stories in the South and as
a photo editor for UPI, the Chicago Sun-Times and Reuters, Mr.
Schnitzlein tried to focus on getting and moving the memorable
photograph, Rubenstein said.
"He always referred to the 'one best' (photo) out of the event,"
Rubenstein said.
Mr. Schnitzlein came to photojournalism at an early age. Born in
Brooklyn, the son of a New York City police officer, Mr. Schnitzlein
joined Acme Newspictures -- the forerunner of UPI -- while still a
teenager, said his wife, Angela.
By all accounts, Mr. Schnitzlein was not the academic type -- formal
schooling was left to his more scholastic minded older brother,
Charles.
Instead, Mr. Schnitzlein enlisted in the Navy, and served on ships for
several years during the mid-1950s.
Out of the service, Mr. Schnitzlein met and married the former Angela
Tarantola, also of Brooklyn. As family lore goes, he just struck up a
conversation with her friends. The couple was married May 12, 1957.
Back in civilian life, he rejoined UPI, and was named news picture
manager for Tennessee.
By 1960, Mr. Schnitzlein was transferred back to New York. He was
assigned to the international picture desk, editing photo coverage from
Europe and Asia to South America.
A decade later, in 1971, Mr. Schnitzlein was assigned overseas. He was
named UPI pictures editor for Asia, and assigned to Hong Kong.
It became a family assignment. Mr. Schnitzlein moved to his new Asian
digs, together with his wife and their five sons, ages 5 to 13.
"It really makes you close," said Keith Schnitzlein of New York City,
the middle son, who arrived in Hong Kong on his ninth birthday.
Hong Kong was a British colony at the time, and all five boys were
enrolled in the British school system.
They stayed three years. "That's long enough on the rock," Mr.
Schnitzlein's wife said. "But when we came back, they were way ahead in
math and science."
In all, Mr. Schnitzlein made four trips to the People's Republic of
China, shooting pictures for the wire service.
By today's standards, the mechanism for getting those pictures back
home seems downright primitive, with Mr. Schnitzlein both taking the
pictures and transmitting them. After chemically processing film, Mr.
Schnitzlein employed an early fax machine and telephone lines to send
the images back home, Rubenstein said.
During his time in Hong Kong, and afterward, Mr. Schnitzlein was a
mentor to younger photojournalists, Rubenstein said.
"He had a great eye for talent," Rubenstein said.
After returning to the U.S., Mr. Schnitzlein became managing editor for
photography at the Chicago Sun-Times.
When Reuters later on picked up the UPI picture business, Mr.
Schnitzlein helped oversee that process, Rubenstein said.
Mr. Schnitzlein retired in 1997.
In addition to his wife, Angela, and son, Keith, Mr. Schnitzlein is
survived by four other sons, Robert of Abingdon, Md., Stephen of
Monmouth Junction, Joseph of Readington and John of Deerfield Beach,
Fla.; a brother, Charles of Leesburg, Fla.; and six grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today in St. Augustine of
Canterbury Church, Kendall Park.
Burial will be in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.