On the evening of June 29, 1960, German photographer Robert Lebeck documented the independence celebrations in Léopoldville, the capital of the former Belgian Congo: today’s Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.⁣ ⁣ With his Leica M2, Lebeck captured a spontaneous moment: a young Congolese man runs toward the camera, laughing, holding the sabre of the Belgian King.⁣ ⁣ The image became one of Lebeck’s most important works and a powerful visual record of decolonisation in Africa. 1960 would later be referred to as the “Year of Africa,” marking a period of significant political change across the continent.⁣ ⁣ This legendary image and many more inspiring photographs and stories can be found in our "100 Leica Stories" book. Link in bio.⁣ ⁣ Robert Lebeck⁣ The Sabre Thief⁣ Léopoldville, Congo, 1960⁣ © Archiv Robert Lebeck⁣ ⁣ #LeicaCamera #Leica #🔴📷 #Leica100