Photos courtesy of Google Images
German-born Pope Benedict XVI will visit the Nazi German death camp at Auschwitz on Sunday to honour victims of the Holocaust, most of whom were Jews.Mark
Auschwitz survivor Roman Halter went back to the camp and told the BBC's Krzysztof Dzieciolowski about his painful memories.
Sixty-one years after the war ended, Roman Halter has returned to his home town Chodecz, in central Poland.
The memories are fresh and the history is still painful for a man who was born here in 1927 - the same year that Pope Benedict XVI was borin in Marktl in Germany. Survivor braves Auschwitz return
8 comments:
A slip of the Mask
As a snap-shot of true barbarism, this photograph cannot be beat. For on the right* of our picture stands the epitome of our humanity, our quest to live free and continue our lineage, for the man and child, clinging to each other in terror, holding on for dear life, encapsulates our hopes for a future, cut down by the barbaric.
The smartly dressed member of the master race on the left,* is the essential essence of evil in action. Smart uniform, polished boots, exuding an air of arrogant authority, the bully in action, convinced of his natural place in the scheme of things.
The setting alone marks the extra-judicial nature of this crime for what it really is…murder most foul, at the hands of the coercive power of state authority. Corruption unconstrained.
Now there is another aspect to this tale, which is what concerns us, namely the photographer, his position in all this.
For an exercise, suppose we substitute you dear reader into the position of the actual cameraman. What is your perspective, Just what do you do?
Answers please by no later than Monday10.00 pm
* note. I am not imputing any direct inference on the left/right divide here. No, that is entirely due to photographic chance.
I think that I better go get some rest. I forgot to point to the picture in question - BOTTOM LEFT CORNER.
Slip of the mind.
Just Another Richard,
Now there is another aspect to this tale, which is what concerns us, namely the photographer, his position in all this.
For an exercise, suppose we substitute you dear reader into the position of the actual cameraman. What is your perspective, Just what do you do?
I'd like to think that I would have tried to stop the shooter. But is that the way that people really operate in such times? I don't think so, and that says volumes about human nature. People can become numb; history teaches us that.
"I'd like to think that I would have tried to stop the shooter. But is that the way that people really operate in such times? I don't think so, and that says volumes about human nature. People can become numb; history teaches us that." - Always
You've caught the bull by the horns there alright, Yes, while many will see the morally right thing, the question does linger in the air. We are creatures of fate and circumstance.
Hi Always
Well pat yourself on the back, for not only being the only brave soul to pick up the challenge, but also for giving the most trenchant and truthful answer, on the side of the virtuous.
Apart from the 2 positions drawn out of this poignant, tragic and heart rending photograph from the pages of history; there are four other positions, 2 on the side of virtue, and 2 on the side of corruption.
Putting aside the 2 positions encapsulated in the photograph, let us first take the side of virtue
Always, you have indeed brought out the body of this position, for in truth when confronted with a horror such as this, who truly knows the straight, honest answer.
The other position for the virtuous is that of the champion, the noble knight riding to the rescue. Could you see yourself, stepping up to the plate, and risking everything in defense of real innocence. We will only know that truth when faced with it. Yes there are probably more of these than we are led to believe, but still how many(?).
And now to the corrupt. The first of this group will collude with this action, for whatever base motive, but will be forever after, be crushed by the burden of guilt, from which there will be no release.
Finally, to those venal souls, who actively participate in the act of barbarity, claiming a higher moral imperative as a fig leaf, covering their true natures, for they will sneer, smear, bully , point fingers, and generally obfuscate, in the quest to escape the reality of what they are…moral cowards.
Does this remind you of anybody?
Punica Fide
Yes bld
It would appear that we are each of us tested. The question is do face our fears or do we run
We face them, JAR, and like men should!
Absolutely Mark, for there is no other way, if we wish to have happy life.
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