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If stones could talk, they would certainly have a lot to say

By bliba  
The way to the staircase of death - a nightmare

The Mauthausen and Gusen quarries were sites of forced labour and places of annihilation in equal measure. While, on the one hand, there was a permanent shortage of skilled labour in the quarries, on the other the prisoners were systematically worked to death. Back-breaking work as punishment and deliberate killing operations were part of everyday life. Prisoners were assigned to the Strafkompanie (penal company) on trivial pretexts or the least violation of the camp regulations. Being in the penal company meant having to carry granite blocks weighing up to 40 kg on a wooden frame on their backs to construction sites in the camp. The march up the quarry steps was accompanied by beatings from the guards. Members of the penal company did not usually survive long. In 1941 and 1942, Dutch Jews especially were pushed to their deaths over the edge of the quarry cliff by the SS and Kapos, something recorded in official camp documents as suicide by jumping. The cynical name given by the SS to prisoners killed in this way was ‚parachutists

thanks for looking

oliver

The version shows you the staircase of death (today 186 steps) - the death staircase, which is no longer comparable to the one at that time.
was actually not a staircase at all, but boulders piled loosely on top of each other, over which the prisoners had to climb back to the camp in the evening. With clogs. With a 20-kg boulder on a wooden stretcher. To the amusement of the SS guards.

Tags: Blur Photo journalism Bnw photography blurriness

Voters: bornstupix2, Acancarter, mrswoolybill and 63 more


Uploaded:
18 May 2022 7:47PM
Camera:
Leica X VARIO
Lens:
Leica 18.0-46.0 mm f/3.5-6.4
Shutter Speed:
1/400s
Aperture:
f/6.4
ISO:
100
Focal Length:
46.0 mm
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Comments


mrswoolybill Plus
15 3.2k 2527 United Kingdom
18 May 2022 8:14PM
They speak if the world is prepared to listen.
Last modified by mrswoolybill on 18 May 2022 8:15PM
LexEquine 16 1 20 United States
18 May 2022 8:37PM
Monochrome Processing, Artistic Composition,
Tonal gradation & DOF Excellent 👍 LEx 🌞💎
Last modified by LexEquine on 18 May 2022 8:38PM
DicksPics Plus
11 13
18 May 2022 8:56PM
A thought provoking upload, Oliver.

Richard
cats_123 Plus
18 5.1k 30 Northern Ireland
18 May 2022 8:59PM
Those poor souls 😢
woolybill1 Plus
15 38 79 United Kingdom
18 May 2022 9:15PM
Photographic poetry.

Bill
taggart Plus
17 47 14 United States
18 May 2022 9:18PM
Appalling inforation---
ZenTony Plus
6 13 2 United Kingdom
18 May 2022 9:54PM
Shocking, but at least we know it can never happen again.....................oh wait a minute !
Brilliant reportage photography Oliver
Tony
Last modified by ZenTony on 18 May 2022 9:54PM
Saastad Plus
3 16 17 Norway
18 May 2022 10:13PM
Great work !

Arne Smile
Chinga Plus
11 68 3 United Kingdom
18 May 2022 10:41PM
Two amazing images Oliver. Great photography.
Isabel GrinGrin
Ericsamson Plus
4 2 2 United Kingdom
18 May 2022 11:16PM
Remarkable images.
mac Plus
20 13 Scotland
18 May 2022 11:44PM
A poem by Robert Burns, our national poet, wrote this in 1784:

Many and sharp the num'rous ills
Inwoven with our frame!
More pointed still we make ourselves
Regret, remorse, and shame!
And man, whose heav'n-erected face
The smiles of love adorn, –
Man's inhumanity to man
Makes countless thousands mourn!

Good Photo Journalism, where we only see a small part of the overall scene, and the rest we can imagine!
Ian
Last modified by mac on 18 May 2022 11:45PM
lifesnapper Plus
16 8 3 England
19 May 2022 7:43AM
The classic low dof works really well, Ollie and your info accompanying the lead image perfectly.

John.
ViVla 5 12 2 Russian Federation
19 May 2022 8:09AM
Excellent image and wey well presented!
saltireblue Plus
12 13.0k 82 Norway
19 May 2022 8:13AM
The cruelty of Man...
RonDM Plus
7 313 United Kingdom
19 May 2022 8:58AM
A superb image and an emotive narrative, I do not think mankind will ever learn

Ron
whatriveristhis Plus
9 665 192 England
19 May 2022 9:11AM
Evolution doesn't seem to happen to everyone.
Herbert_Catania Plus
15 30 1 Malta
19 May 2022 9:56AM
Indeed Oliver - nice one
cooky Plus
18 6 6 United Kingdom
19 May 2022 11:46AM
Another thought provoking image and superb narrative Oliver.

Kath
TrevBatWCC Plus
13 13 19 England
19 May 2022 1:05PM
What terrible conditions, how lucky we should consider ourselves. Fine images, Ollie, and very thought-provoking reading 👍🏻
Trev
exposure Plus
18 6.1k United Kingdom
19 May 2022 4:57PM
An interesting write up Oliver,
Nice selective death of field, tones & detail
A nice angle on the second image

Pauline
Last modified by exposure on 19 May 2022 5:01PM
capto Plus
10 7.0k 32 United Kingdom
19 May 2022 5:54PM
Impressive shots and info.Smile
ivor
xwang 13 56 8
19 May 2022 6:11PM
Thanks for the info. Oliver. Wonderfully taken images.
Jukka Plus
10 1 Finland
20 May 2022 10:17AM
Very good with the selective focus , Oliver! SmileSmileSmile

Jukka
Fefe Plus
10 73 41 United Kingdom
20 May 2022 1:17PM
Such a well taken and thoughtfully worked out image to go with your write up.
Well done Oliver.
EveLine1 7 Germany
23 May 2022 12:19AM
Heartbreaking..!! Each and every story.. Sad beyond word!!

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