World War 2 Talk - View Single Post

EmersonBigguns · 03-04-2008, 10:41 AM

The Museum has a sign on its front door, and in most of its literature, that says major discretion should be used before bringing children under the age of 14.

I observed several groups of older teenagers there and thankfully did not witness any unruliness or disrespectfulness. Most of the unfathomable behavior I saw was from an older crowd. Including a group of Japanese 40 something who saw the need to climb ON the international memorial so they could get themselves a group photo.

One thing I did see that caused me great consternation was evidence of several thousand people in a few places who felt the needs to carve their name into the walls of some of the barracks and also a basement area of one building where thousands of people were tortured and murdered. I can't fathom why someone would want their name displayed in a place such as that let alone possess the lack of common respect to desecrate it.

As far a photos go, there were several places in the museum where they requested that one did not take photos. The gas chamber at Auschwitz 1 for instance. Understandably I did not walk into that place and pull out my camera and give everyone in there with me the pleasure of the flash ruining what is for most a very reflective moment. Others were not so thoughtful.

I disagree however with the idea that taking pictures at Auschwitz is disrespectful. If done in the right context, pictures can not only be respectful but also considerably beneficial to the remembrance of those who were murdered there.

Most people in the world will never visit Auschwitz. Taking pictures and sharing them with others is one way, however small it may be, of sharing the story of that horrible place with more people. Never forget means that its all too important to always remember to remember. Photographs are an appropriate way to do that.

None of my photographs include any smiling faces or posed shots, although I did witness several of those being taken by other folks. I tried my best to eliminate people altogether from the pictures I took as a way to accent the sense of desperation and loneliness that hangs about that place.

I took away my personal experience on film and, unless requested not to do so by forum administrators, I am going to share that experience with other people. If not here, then elsewhere.

Standing at the ruins of the gas chambers and looking down the short flight of stairs over which one and a half million people descended and never saw daylight again brought about feelings I’ll never forget. A photograph cannot accurately portray the immensity of the moment for me, but it will help me try to explain and share a sense of it with other people.

They live forever as long as we remember them....

03-04-2008, 10:41 AM	#38 (permalink)
EmersonBigguns Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 100	The Museum has a sign on its front door, and in most of its literature, that says major discretion should be used before bringing children under the age of 14. I observed several groups of older teenagers there and thankfully did not witness any unruliness or disrespectfulness. Most of the unfathomable behavior I saw was from an older crowd. Including a group of Japanese 40 something who saw the need to climb ON the international memorial so they could get themselves a group photo. One thing I did see that caused me great consternation was evidence of several thousand people in a few places who felt the needs to carve their name into the walls of some of the barracks and also a basement area of one building where thousands of people were tortured and murdered. I can't fathom why someone would want their name displayed in a place such as that let alone possess the lack of common respect to desecrate it. As far a photos go, there were several places in the museum where they requested that one did not take photos. The gas chamber at Auschwitz 1 for instance. Understandably I did not walk into that place and pull out my camera and give everyone in there with me the pleasure of the flash ruining what is for most a very reflective moment. Others were not so thoughtful. I disagree however with the idea that taking pictures at Auschwitz is disrespectful. If done in the right context, pictures can not only be respectful but also considerably beneficial to the remembrance of those who were murdered there. Most people in the world will never visit Auschwitz. Taking pictures and sharing them with others is one way, however small it may be, of sharing the story of that horrible place with more people. Never forget means that its all too important to always remember to remember. Photographs are an appropriate way to do that. None of my photographs include any smiling faces or posed shots, although I did witness several of those being taken by other folks. I tried my best to eliminate people altogether from the pictures I took as a way to accent the sense of desperation and loneliness that hangs about that place. I took away my personal experience on film and, unless requested not to do so by forum administrators, I am going to share that experience with other people. If not here, then elsewhere. Standing at the ruins of the gas chambers and looking down the short flight of stairs over which one and a half million people descended and never saw daylight again brought about feelings I’ll never forget. A photograph cannot accurately portray the immensity of the moment for me, but it will help me try to explain and share a sense of it with other people. They live forever as long as we remember them.... Last edited by EmersonBigguns; 03-04-2008 at 10:43 AM.