In the 1960s, amateur photographer and college professor Dr William Podlich took a leave of absence from his job at Arizona State to work with UNESCO in Kabul. He took his wife Margaret and two teenage daughters, Jan and Peg, along with him and used his Kodachrome film to record visuals of a beautiful, rugged land, and a happy people who loved picnics, swimming in the river, sipping tea at roadside cafes.
Grade school under the trees
Swimming in the Kabul river
Portable grand stand
They were images of a peaceful Afghanistan making strides towards a more liberal and Westernised lifestyle — a stark contrast to the disturbing sights seen during the Taliban regime. The fascinating collection of photos from the 1960s era include images featuring turbaned men relaxing at a picnic, boys frolicking in the Kabul river in the sun, an outdoor classroom under a canopy of leafy trees, Afghan girls coming home from school, street vendors selling naan and frying sweets.
Frying up desserts; Dr William “Bill” Frederick Podlich
The incredible collection is now managed by Peg’s husband Clayton Esterson, who told the Denver Post about the historical significance of the pictures: “Many Afghans have written comments on the website showing their appreciation for the photographs that show what their country was like before 33 years of war.”
Photographs of Afghanistan in 1967-68, by Dr Bill Podlich. Scanned from slides and restored by Clayton Esterson
