Hessy Levinsons Taft, Jewish Infant Used in Nazi Magazine Hoax, Dies at 91

Hessy Levinsons Taft, the Jewish infant whose portrait was used without her parents’ knowledge on the cover of a Nazi magazine as an alleged “ideal Aryan” baby, died on Jan. 1 at her home in San Francisco. She was 91, and her death was confirmed by her family. The photograph, taken by Hans Ballin when she was about six months old, was entered by the photographer as a prank in a contest — the contest is described in the record as taking place in 1935 — and was chosen by Joseph Goebbels as the winner.

The image ran on the cover of Sonne ins Haus and soon appeared in advertisements, postcards and private homes. Her parents were horrified when they discovered the magazine; Mr. Ballin later told them he had submitted the photo as a joke and said, according to Mrs. Taft, “I wanted to allow myself the pleasure of this joke.” Born May 17, 1934, in Berlin to Latvian opera singers, Hessy Levinsons and her family left Germany as the Nazi threat grew, later living in Paris, Nice and Cuba before moving to New York in 1949.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Barnard College in 1955 and a master’s from Columbia University in 1958, married Earl Taft the following year, and spent more than 30 years at the Educational Testing Service. At 66 she became an adjunct professor at St. John’s University, teaching chemistry and researching water sustainability.

She is survived by her children, Nina and Alex Taft; four grandchildren; and a sister, Noemi Pollack. Mrs.

Key Topics

World, Hessy Levinsons Taft, Hans Ballin, Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Germany, Berlin