Colonne Duitse soldaten op appel 1941 - 1944

This is a small photograph of German soldiers made by an anonymous photographer. The gray tones create an atmosphere that feels both distant and immediate, like a memory surfacing in shades of gray. The texture of the print itself seems to emphasize this feeling. It’s like the image has emerged through a process of gradual formation, a slow reveal. Take a look at the way the figures are arranged, how each one seems to merge into the next, becoming a single mass. This blurring of individual identities creates a sense of anonymity, reflecting the loss of individuality within a collective. Thinking about Bernd and Hilla Becher, who photographed industrial structures with such objectivity, the emotional tone of this photograph, and the sense of dehumanization it conveys, feels very different. This image resonates with the idea that art doesn't just capture reality but also shapes our understanding of it. It doesn’t offer answers, but it invites contemplation.