An odd twist, maybe. I'm reading the papers today. Jean le Penn has won a victory in the French elections the day I return from my first visit to Washington DC and with strong impressions from visiting the Holocost Museum there. CNN quotes le Penn, - and he calls Holocost a "detail in History". My daughter went on a so called "inter-rail" trip as an 18 year old. She stopped in Poland, - because she felt that it was a duty to visit Auswitch. To see with her own eyes the tragedy that had hit humankind. She called home. And she could barely talk from crying. From the few words that I could understand her saying was something about "shoes" and "children". The Holocost museum in Washington has gotten SOME of the shoes that the museum in Auswitch has. They fill a whole room in the large museum. Let's follow Eisenhower's oath instead of M. le Penn. "We are obligated as humans to remember. To tell the next generations to never forget" Britt

Oh, Britt, don't worry about Messieur L'idiot :) He isn't even worth wasting our valuable time on. Mainly because Germany got punished the most for WO2, the nazi's and collaborators in countries like Austria, France and Italy never really learned their lesson, so to say. As a result of that, right-wing extremists always are a bit more popular there than in other (european) countries. Let it be said that many, many people regard them as fools, who's anti-democratic and destructive will never be covered up by their seductive rethorics and dark blue suits. Over here in Holland, we are confronted with WO2 in all it's aspects every single day....day after day, week after week, etc. People like Le Pen will never stand a chance...not in a million years. Btw, CNN's not correct....the current president, Chirac won the first round of the presidential elections, not Le Pen. He came in 2nd, and suprisingly socialist Jospin in 3rd...all incredibly close. The 2nd round will be beteen numbers 1 and 2, and Le Pen's expected to have reached his maximum already. In other words, people who voted for the other candidates will likely vote for Chirac, cause they're against LP. Well, always look on the bright side of life! While he is still thinking about things of 50 years ago, the rest of us is looking forward. =)

outrageous!! that man is even more of an idiot by stating such an atrocious thing to the media, now he will go down in history for making such an assinine comment. How can anybody ever forget the fact that 6 million people were murdered? not i... NEVER FORGET,NEVER FORGOTTEN. and i am not Jewish, just a human being

Your image speaks more than words I think.

elusive.chaos

"You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star...." (Nietzsche)

...not the room full of shoes, but room full of hair. Stalin murdered at least 12 million people. Nobody speaks about that, because he killed his own people. Sometimes, thinking this world makes me sick. Sometimes, I get inspired. .n

Yeah, good point Antoonio.....that reminds me that (in total) over 20 million died under Stalin to fight the German army at the Eastern Front, and there's hardly any memorial or remembrance day for the Russian soldiers. Weird thing is, without their efforts things would have probably gone different.

Dont remember how many russians died in war, but those over 12 million was their own sivilians. Scientists, officers, polices, politicians or any suspicious people. And their families. .n

There is just too much hate in the world, sometimes it's just too much to bear......what a touching piece of work britt....

I am, therefore I create.......
--- michelleamarante.com

Yes, too much hate, too little love :P You're a wise gal =)

Hard to comprehend how a so-called leader can oversee the murder of millions of their own citizens. Ive also always wondered about the German photographers during WWII. While no doubt some of them were proud of the Holocaust and gladly documented its horror, I cant help but believe that some of them had to be lovers of life (as most photographers are), and knowing that Hitler would not last, they took those pictures so that the deeds of those dark days could not be covered up. But if so, that would be a difficult and painful task. So much of the brutality was photographed.

Picture makers can indeed play an important role. Eugene Smith was beaten by company thugs for taking pictures of mercury-poisoned fishermen in Japan. I've understood that he never fully recovered from this, and that it hastened his death. The images themselves raised awareness of the situation, and may have resulted in action being taken more quickly. Now they serve as a historical record of corporate greed and coldness.

Rork1973... I'm not "too worried" :) it's just that after such a stong impression, it feels like somebody slapped me in the face.. hard... with the comment that "just a detail in history". Of course, comming from a small country in Europe that was occupied; most Norwegians in my generation have persons in the family that WERE sent to one of the infamous camps. The jewish population of NOrway before the war was lesst than 2,000. But only 11 came back. What still is imprented in Norwegians brains is "How come they didn't see it coming? Why is it that a free country could be free one wonderful spring evening, - and an occupied country the next? How could they have failed to protect our countrymen from the horrible Holocost?" I think, Antoonio, that there are millions of Russians asking themselves the same questions. What part can artists, journalists, photographers play in a totalitarian society. Frankly, I don't know. I know that we all still can enjoy Kate Kolwitch art. What happened to her during the war, I don't know. Some history has been written about the role of the press during the war in occupied countries. A lot of press employed had no choice, but to stay in their jobs, bite their tongues and do their jobs. However; the undercover press was made by people like that. In a sense; it's easy today. We (most of us) live in democracies. We have freedom of speech. For us; coming out from the Holocost Memorial and be met by thousands who demonstrated against Israels policy towards Palestine, was almost equally as strong an experience. Not necessarily because we agree with them; but because they HAVE the freedom to say what they did; where they did. I don't have to face any "concequences" for making the picture; posting it; or to make this comments. THAT was not the caseback in Hitlers Germany. THAT is not the case in Palestine; or in Israel. :) I am a lucky person. I am free to feel strongly about things; - and to express it. Any way I feel like. Britt grateful for all the thoughts this image created

A moving pic, coming shortly after I watched a very moving documentary last week about a camp. I'm not emotional at the worst of times but even I had a lump in my throat part of the way through. I've never really gone into the history of the war I have to admit. The situation in France seems to be people voting for Le Penn intending it to be just a vote against the govornment to make them wake up - except so many people did it....well...... We shall see. common sense will prevail. (",)