Unnecessary Atrocity

This is a photograph of two young Jewish children of the Hellman Family in 1939. They sit outside their home in Moenchengladbach, Germany before the happenings of World War II have begun to affect them. They sit with smiles in traditional German inspired clothing. The children are unaware of the fate that awaits them.

This photograph captures German Air Armed Force in formation flying over Poland in of September 1939. As Germany invades Poland, World War II begins. The air invasion is only the first step in a long line of terrible events. With Adolf Hitler in position as Chancellor of Germany, the beginning of Jew deportation and mass murder is almost immediate.

Here is Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of Germany, overseeing a victory parade in Warsaw, October 1939. Hitler stands with the recognizable salute to members of his Nazi Army as they pass by to congratulate them on the invasion of Poland. Their flag is proudly displayed as they march on throughout Poland to declare the invasion a success.

This photograph depicts Jews from the Warsaw ghetto surrendering to the German Nazi Party in 1943. Men, women, and children were forced from their homes, separated from their families, and deported to concentration camps around the country. The picture shows, for one, the force and intimidation used by the Nazis. However, the focus on the young boy's face sums up the confusion and terror felt throughout the Jewish community.

Pictured, are two Nazi Officers supervising the deportation of Jews in 1941. Jews were forced from their homes and crammed onto trains to transport them to concentration camps. This photo shows victims of unthinkable crimes, however the focus of the photo, at the time, was to capture Nazi soldiers building a better Germany.

Several Jewish families are photographed as they arrive at Auschwitz Concentration Camp in 1943. They wear the Star of David patched to their clothing as they await selections. Holding their children closely the worry on the adults' faces tell they are terrified of what lies inside. They look worn and apathetic knowing their families will soon be torn apart.

Inside a working warehouse of a concentration camp, 1944. Able-bodied Jewish prisoners were forced into manual labor before their killings. Laborers were mostly made up of men. The German Nazi party used these people as slaves. They were not seen as people, so the hard labor, poor working environments, and long hours made them very slender and weak. All the prisoners wore the same thing and worked in minimal working conditions like the ones photographed.

In April of 1945, former prisoners are photographed enjoying their first meal since the camp was liberated. They sit outside against a fence that divided the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp into two separate sections. They walk freely around the camp without the daunting German Nazi Officers patrolling their every move.

A woman finds suitable clothing in one hand and carries her prisoner attire in the other in May of 1945. During the aftermath of the liberation of the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp, former prisoners go through articles of clothing that were confiscated upon arrival. Other newly liberated survivors comb through looking for clothing so they can leave the camp.

This photograph captures the end of the Holocaust as Germany surrenders in May of 1945. Their concentration camps have been liberated and the top military and political figures gather to document the event and plan for the future. The three German men on the left watch as their enemies take over and put a stop to their violent acts.