A Dim Light for the Victims of..., a photo from Berlin, East

Photographer's Note

The Neue Wache (New Guard House) was built as a guardhouse for the troops of the Crown Prince of Prussia, yet it has been used as a war memorial since 1931.

The building served as a royal guard house until the end of World War I and the fall of the German monarchy in 1918. In 1931 the architect Heinrich Tessenow was commissioned by the state government of Prussia to redesign the building as a memorial for the German war dead. He converted the interior into a memorial hall with an oculus (circular skylight). The Neue Wache was then known as the "Memorial for the Fallen of the War." The building was heavily damaged by bombing and artillery during the last months of World War II.

The building was located within the Soviet zone of occupation of Berlin, and after 1949 was part of the communist German Democratic Republic. In 1960 the repaired Neue Wache was reopened as a Memorial to the Victims of Fascism and Militarism. In 1969, the 20th anniversary of the GDR, a glass prism structure with an eternal flame was placed in center of the hall. The remains of the unknown soldier and of an unknown concentration camp victim from World War II were enshrined in the building.

After German reunification, the Neue Wache was again rededicated in 1993, as the "Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Victims of War and Tyranny." The GDR memorial piece was removed and replaced by an enlarged version of Kдthe Kollwitz's sculpture Mother with her Dead Son. This sculpture is directly under the oculus, and so is exposed to the rain, snow and cold of the Berlin climate, symbolising the suffering of civilians during World War II.

yedirenk, pauloog, doubay has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

giorgimer (35017) 2010-09-20 14:30

Hi Denis,

I already saw a post of this place some days ago. It's really impressive, nice effect by the light

TFS

G

sayeed_rahman (6461) 2010-09-20 22:09

Looks like fox mulder's sister is about to be abducted and he could do nothing about, in fact he could never do anything about it ! - he was more 'Hamlet' than Hamlet ever was..

jokes apart...

i think you have created the mood brilliantly, the space the silence, the click of the heels, the fading whispers, the cold walls, the light, i read the note deniz and it sinks in

sayeed

jasmis (58653) 2010-09-20 22:12

Interesting place and smart photo with using of difficult light.
Regards.

zeynepe (0) 2010-09-20 22:18

Almanyanın kьзьk bьyьk 5- şehrine gitmişliğim var ama en etkileyicsi olan Berlin'e gidemedim henьz. Işığın duvardaki yansımaları adamın duruşu зok etkileyici, зiзekler olsa mı olmasa mı karar veremedim .
Зok etkileyici,tebrikler Deniz.

polpo56 (15146) 2010-09-20 23:47

Hi Denis,
a very impressive shot...
tecnically a great light management.

Ciao

Ludo

mursaloglu (8682) 2010-09-21 3:15

selam Deniz
Anlamı derin olan mьkemmel bir gцrьntь. Enfes bir ışık kullanımı. Sanki bir Brechtian oyundan alınmış gibi. Ellerine sağlık ihsan

Juzo (2151) 2010-09-21 6:06

Hi Deniz,
A haunting image, and cause for reflection. The light perfectly balances the image, and the pose of the man looking up is just right, good timing.
Cheers
Justin

yedirenk (11244) 2010-09-21 8:24

merhaba Deniz,
ustalığınla bu зarpıcı ışığı ve detayları hiз kaзırmamışsın..ışık kullanımı ve sunumu bьyьleyici bir kare..şaşırtıcı da bir derinliği var...ellerine sağlık.selamlar

Cevdet

pauloog (11751) 2010-09-21 8:27

Hello Deniz,
I saw this monument a few years ago and it is stil firmly in my memory as it encompasses so well the tragedy of war. You captured this gloomy atmosphere well with good light. Personnally I would have photographed from the same central and straightforward point of view but without the spectator. But that depends on each own's photographic language...
Regards,
Paul

fplohoff (0) 2010-09-21 10:12

Hi Deniz

very strict with excellent use of light. A depressing place I know. Best wishes, Frank

doubay (674) 2010-09-22 13:08

A very photogenic place well utilized for an artistic photo. I wanted to take a few shots there too last saturday but it was closed.

Ciao
Andreas

PS: Did you receive my mail?

romanaa (8430) 2010-09-23 13:47

Hello Deniz,

your gloomy image is very suitable for the tragic topic, evoking sadness and helplesness of the people at war.

Good photowork
Best regards

Romana

veyselk (0) 2010-09-23 22:44

duvarlara baktığımda sanki bilgisayar da yapılmış gibi duruyor,
gьzel ve başarılı bir kadraj olmuş, цzellikle pp зok başarlı olmuş

azizbilgili (2111) 2010-09-27 1:08

Merhaba Deniz bey,
Elamanı tam zamanında yakalamışsınız...
Sanki, yukarıdan başkalarıda gelecekmiş gibi bir beklentisi var arkadaşın..:)

Elinize sağlık.

nszeretlek (1199) 2010-10-20 1:08

Yes , i remember this place and was stunned about its potential for a good picture as yours in this case . Wonderful illumination and sense of space ...Tesserkur ederim

didemay (2945) 2010-10-26 11:13

Deniz Merhaba,
Mesut Bey'in yeni yukledigi karenin farkli bir acisi. Duvarlar, mekan, heykel cok sey anlatiyor insana. Modelin ise kareyi tamamlayan.
Ellerine Saglik.
D:)

ACL1978 (7511) 2013-05-08 14:28

Deniz - I guess I've never really explored your gallery, and now I'm upset I haven't as you have some truly wonderful shots here. I love the minimal simplicity of this one; I count myself an appreciator of fine memorials, and this one is outstanding. The explanation you give of the open air quality of it is excellent - a really impressive message conveyed quite simply.

Your shot does the same, presenting this stark open look at the room, with the visitor who we can live through here, staring up into the light. The living and the dead here. Really powerful - thanks.

Andrew