Manitoba Photographers: Karl Drago Alkier (1926-2008)

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Born Drago Dragutin Alkier at Valpovo, Croatia on 10 January 1926, into a multigenerational family of photographers, he began to work as a photographer’s apprentice at the age of 14, receiving certification as a journeyman three years later. At that time, during the Second World War, he was drafted into the Croatian Army. Captured two years later, he was forced to walk to a concentration camp in Slovenia. He subsequently served 28 months in the Yugoslavian Army. He moved to Germany in 1955 where he worked as a factory welder before moving to Canada with his wife Anica and their three-month-old baby in 1956.

They worked on a vegetable farm near Toronto for a season then moved to Portage la Prairie where he worked in a photo studio for seven years. In 1963, they moved to Dauphin to purchase a business that became known as Karl’s Studio, which operated until 1994. He took wedding photos, family portraits, and local scenic views, and served as a Royal Photographer during the 1970 visit to Canada of Queen Elizabeth II.

He died at Dauphin on 25 May 2008. He was survived by his widow and two sons.

Work location(s)

Year(s)

Address

1963-1994

Dauphin

Sources:

Obituary, Dauphin Herald, 3 June 2008, page 22.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 18 December 2021

Manitoba Photographers: 1858 to Present

A list of professional photographers who have worked in Manitoba, from 1858 to the present, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society.

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Gordon Goldsborough & Manitoba Historical Society. All rights reserved.