Posts Tagged ‘Dresden firebombings February 13 1945’
Günther Kannegießer
Wednesday, February 8th, 2012The Ruins of Trinitatiskirsche in Dresden and Coventry Cathedral in Coventry
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012..February 2012.. ..Dresden..
The top photo in each series are the ruins of Trinitatiskirsche and bottom photo are the ruins Coventry Cathedral.
Trinitatiskirsche was destroyed on February 13th, 1945 when Dresden endured 3 continuous waves of Allied bombing that lasted until the next day. Only the crater lined outer walls still stand today.
The Coventry Cathedral was destroyed during the Coventry Blitz on November 14,1940 by the German Luftwaffe. Only the tower, spire, outer wall and bronze effigy of its first bishop, Huyshe Wolcott Yeatman-Biggs, survived.
Both destroyed structures serve as reminders of the indiscriminate scars of war. Coventry and Dresden shared similar fates during WWII. The cities were pulverized with bombs leaving only memories of what the famous cities once were.
The structure of the Trinitatiskirsche was used as a community center during the GDR. The ruins of the Coventry Cathedral is now used as memorial while it neighbors the new cathedral.
For those who experienced the bombings, these surviving structures are not only reminders of what once stood respectively in Dresden and Coventry but also lost memories of their childhoods and experiences with their families that were taken away by war.
Trinitatiskirsche
Monday, February 6th, 2012
FROM ABOVE featured on the John Batchelor Show, WABC Radio
Sunday, October 30th, 2011My interview with talk show host John Batchelor was broadcast on WABC Radio this weekend. It was the first US interview about FROM ABOVE, my book featuring portraits and testimonials of atomic bomb survivors and firebombing survivors from Dresden and Tokyo.
The interview can now be heard on the web at this link:
http://podfuse-dl.andomedia.com/800185/podfuse-origin.andomedia.com/citadel_origin/pods/WABC/WABC-Batchelor/jbs_102911b.mp3
The book can be purchased in the US, Japan and Europe from this links:
http://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/citation.cfm?catalog=I1040
There will only be one edition of the book printed and we hope to have all copies sold by the end of the year.
East of the Elbe, half a world away from the Sumida
Sunday, March 6th, 2011..December 2009 East of the Elbe, Dresden..
Speech at the Dreikönigskirche in Dresden on February 11, 2011
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011..February 2011.. ..Dresden..
The text from my speech given at the Dreikönigskirche in Dresden on February 11, 2011.
I was asked to speak about the From Above project while it was exhibited in Dresden for the commemorations of the fire bombings. The Dreikönigskirche was completely destroyed during the fire bombings. But was rebuilt. The surviving and heavy damaged altar is inside the rebuilt church.
Paule Saviano, February 11, 2011……
In a time when it seems people have not learned that war is not a rational way to resolve disagreements, I’m proud to be in Dresden to support the survivors of the Dresden fire bombings and to inform my generation that war only causes suffering.
My name is Paule Saviano. I’m a photographer New York. My journey to Dresden started with my photography project about atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Tokyo fire bombing survivors. In Japan, I have met 40 atomic bomb survivors in 3 years.
Around his time last year, I wrote a letter to Nora Lang asking to come to Dresden to extend my project. In May 2010, I traveled to Dresden and met 12 fire bombing Survivors. Many are in the audience today.
I’m very pleased to be back in Dresden. My experience in Dresden and Japan has been an education. Every time I met a war survivor, I realize how fortunate I’ve been not to have experienced war.
I realize how fragile life is. Each person I met in Dresden and Japan has been welcoming and inspiring. They demonstrate incredible courage and honesty speaking about experiences that changed their lives forever. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with each one of these people. These conversations have been the foundations for new friendships that transcend generational and ethnic differences. It has put a voice and face to words in history books. Most people view war with statistics and dates. They forget war affects real people. The voices and faces of ordinary people are neglected in history books. I have been able to find these voices with my project.
Each day I think about everyone I‘ve photographed in Dresden and Japan. They have encouraged me to continue my education. Life is about experiences and continuing to learn. I will soon travel to Gernika and Coventry to listen to their voices. It demonstrates suffering from war is universal. It affects people of all cultures and nationality.
For my generation this is the last opportunity to travel to places like Dresden to learn directly from the war survivors that war is not beneficial to any humans.
I hope today we will not forget those who lost their lives on February 13th, 1945 or the survivors who had their lives changed forever. It is important we learn from the past. The consequences of making the same mistakes today are even greater for every one of us living under the same sky.
From Above photography exhibition in Dresden
Saturday, February 26th, 2011..February 2011.. ..Dresden..
A short video shot by Iori Yoneda during the From Above exhibition in Dresden, Germany.
From Above was exhibited simultaneously in Dresden and Tokyo. A couple more days to catch to the exhibition before it closes in both cities.
Thank you to everyone in both cities who came to the exhibitions. A big thank you to the Dresden and Tokyo teams who made it possible for the photos to be exhibited. Without their tireless efforts none of this would be possible.
Altmarkt, Dresden
Sunday, February 13th, 2011..February 2011.. ..Dresden..
Dresden, February 13th, 1945….Many people passed away in Dresden that night.
I hope we can make this day about remembering the people who died that night and those who survived but lost family. Many had their lives destroyed.
Their bodies were cremated on this ground in the Altmarkt. This is the small rememberance placed on the spot.
I have been fortunate enough to meet many brave and honest people in Dresden the past 8 months. Thank you for welcoming me. I continue to learn.
var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push([‘_setAccount’, ‘UA-12680478-1’]); _gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’]);
(function() { var ga = document.createElement(‘script’); ga.type = ‘text/javascript’; ga.async = true; ga.src = (‘https:’ == document.location.protocol ? ‘https://ssl’ : ‘http://www’) + ‘.google-analytics.com/ga.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();
From Above exhibition in Dresden, Germany
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011
From Above is my continuing series of portraits about atomic bomb Survivors and fire bombing survivors from Tokyo and Dresden. There are also events happening around the photo exhibition.
From Above
February 10th-28th, 2011
Ortsamt Blasewitz
Naumannstraße 5
010309 Dresden
Germany
