Auschwitz-Birkenau

[Didache]

Hi all

I've just returned from a 5 day trip to Poland. While I was there I took a day to visit the concentration camps of Auschwitz & Birkenau, which are just a couple of miles apart. As you might imagine, they are among the most bleak places on earth. It seemed to me that mono was the only way to handle it.

I don't put the images here for anyone to "enjoy" - but it was important for me to share them.

Mike

[Overbeyond]

Yes Mike Mono is the job here no doubt and they certainly capture the bleakness and then send the imagination into dark places.

[mtbbrian]

Mike,
If all you intended was to share, maybe we should put this over to ViewFinder.
Just a thought.
These are good, and as you alluded to are hard to comment on considering where they are and all that happened. Even if some people don't think it did. Which is sad.
Brian

[Didache]

Brian .. on reflection, you are right I think. I assume you can move it to Viewfinder? If so, please do so.

Thanks
Mike

[Len J]

Mike:

Well done.

My Dad was with the first Allied troops to arrive at Gotha, Ohrdruf & Buchenwald, It changed him.

I suspect he would not be able to look at your pictures.

Never forget!

Len

[reverberation]

Mike,
If all you intended was to share, maybe we should put this over to ViewFinder.
Just a thought.
These are good, and as you alluded to are hard to comment on considering where they are and all that happened. Even if some people don't think it did. Which is sad.
Brian

Really underscores how important photography can be. If those images were never recorded many more people would fool themselves. The same goes for the civil rights movement, El Salvador, and the list is endless. It is photojournalists, who record these dark truths, that help bring the light of justice to chase these shadows away. People will always try and fool themselves with a worldview that diminishes the impact of evil. Pictures are a way of waking people up to reality.

[Didache]

Thanks guys for looking, and for the senstitivity of your comments. I must admit that I didn't know what to expect, nor how I would feel. I think it is something that will sink in, especially as I work on the images. It is something that disturbed me, and has yet to disturb me - and that is as it should be.

Just two more. The second is the interior of the one remaining gas chamber (the SS destroyed the others to hide their crimes) - some people laid flowers, and noone spoke. If it doesn't sound paradoxical, it was treated as a holy place, even though it is the most un-holy place imaginable.

Mike

[Frog]

I never stop being disturbed by images of the holocause and I hope I never will.

[Tyson L. Sparks]

I never stop being disturbed by images of the holocaust and I hope I never will.

I could not agree with you more, very well said.

When my eyes made contact with the title of this thread I was surprised to say the least. I had an opportunity to hear Mel Mermelstein speak at my brothers college graduation. He was one of few survivors of that camp. His words were inspiring and very real. He talked of his life and struggles, he passed on the importance of what education means to a people and how it could help prevent a future holocaust



I can't imagine how you felt walking through there. It had to be hard and chilling. It must have been a very cold place.

[Didache]

Tyson .. how anyone survived is a great testimony to the human spirit.

I have now put more images on my web page - anyone interested can see them at:

http://album2591.fotopic.net/c1396059.html

Cheers
Mike

[Greg McCary]

Very moving pictures Mike. It almost leaves one speechless.

[Mule]

Didache, Thanks for sharing these. Your decision to use B&W was right on. Strong images.

[mtbbrian]

Thanks guys for looking, and for the senstitivity of your comments. I must admit that I didn't know what to expect, nor how I would feel.

Props to you for making some photographs there and for sharring them with us Mike.
Brian

[readingr]

This brings back memories of my visit to another camp Dachau outside of Munich.

What struck me is the silence - not even a bird sang in all the time we were there. I could not believe and still cannot believe what man is capable of.

The use of black and white gives these photos a sombre mood which reflects my memories of the camp.

Roger

[OBie]

Very strong photos. I find myself strangely pulled in two directions. We have a trip to Europe in early planning stages for sometime in the future. As much as I would like to see these places in person, another part of me isn't sure I could handle it. I was moved to tears just by your photos. Thanks for sharing.

[freygr]

I've seen the military WWII movie footage and some the still photos. These are great photos of just the place, but the real gut wrenching photos are the military photos from WWII.

One of my co-workers was stationed in Germany when he was in the service. I framed a series of photos from Auschwitz for him. I printed his photos in B&W then used black mat board with a white core to mat the photo in a all plexeglass frame with stainless steel cap screws in each corner holding the frame together. Gave the photo/frame a very bleak look.

[Axle]

wow...

Thanks for sharing. The b/w does a good job in conveying the emotion.

[Loupey]

I view images like these not with the eyes and mind but with the eyes and heart. How truly sad to see but so important to see as well.

I think photography serves no higher purpose than to reveal the evils of man in order to try to prevent history from repeating itself.

The world has changed so much. It has not changed at all.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Mike.

[Didache]

Thank you once again, each of you. An experience like this needs to be shared. I am currently putting together a slide show to music called "Auschwitz - A Lament", hopefully to share it with others, not least my own camera club. I admit to getting choked up as I was doing it.

Mike

[Liz]

Mike,
Thank you for sharing with us - all your friends here. It took me until tonight to be able to look after reading the title. The holocaust is not something you want to remember, and at the same time, your heart won't let you forget. It is right that it is now treated as a holy place in memory and honor of all those who lived and died there.

Your photos are well composed and touches the soul, and the b&w makes it very real. I'm going to view your website tomorrow when I'm not so tired.

Thanks again.

Liz

[Glasstream15]

The stark black and white images bring a grim reminder of one of the darkest periods of human history. I visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC and could not go through the entire exhibit. Hopefully, photos such as yours will help keep the memory and the reality alive.

Thank you for your pictures and your thoughts.

[Tyson L. Sparks]

Tyson .. how anyone survived is a great testimony to the human spirit.

I have now put more images on my web page - anyone interested can see them at:

http://album2591.fotopic.net/c1396059.html

Cheers
Mike

I had a chance to look at your pictures, you did a great job. If I were you I think I wouldhave ported the shot of the bunk house here but I can also understand why you didn't.

[I_Fly]

Wow Mike,

Very powerful images, and I think that going mono just made them even more powerful. I tend to agree with Liz, that the camps are, in a way, holy places because it honors those who didn't survive.

[Liz]

Mike,

I just viewed the images on your website. There are no words to describe the feeling that overwhelms one just looking at the photos. You can almost experience some of the pain and sorrow even today. Walking through it must be extremely emotional. It's a reality. I don't know how anyone could deny the holocaust. These pictures made me cry, but I'm grateful you gave us the opportunity to see them.

I just wanted to comment what a great job you did with the choice of composition/subject. Each one is rich in signficance.

Liz

[Didache]

Thanks once again all .. it just goes to show what a thoroughly decent and compassionate group of people we have here.

It's appropriate, I think, to post just one more image. This time in colour: flowers and candles left on the track at the point where the prisoners were unloaded.

Cheers
Mike