The people at the back
Updated: 4 hours ago
Ohrdruf, Germany, 1945.
Historical footage concerning Nazi crimes and their aftermath. Silent historical footage; use the player controls to pause.
In this wide view, I keep looking at the soldiers at the back of the crowd.
We can see how many people are gathering beside the barracks. It is harder to tell what any one of them can see or hear.
Did someone explain why they were being brought together? Were the men further away asking those in front what was happening? What had they already seen elsewhere in the camp?
The camera gives us an overview that nobody standing inside this crowd would have had. I wonder how different the same moment was for a man at its centre and someone arriving at the edge.
Which person or part of the gathering draws your attention, and what question does it leave you with?
