Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Photo

Photographer’s Note

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial (German: Holocaust-Mahnmal), is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold. It consists of a 19,000 square meter (4.7 acre) site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or "stelae", arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae are 2.38m (7.8') long, 0.95m (3' 1.5") wide and vary in height from 0.2 m to 4.8m (8" to 15'9"). According to Eisenman's project text, the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason. A 2005 copy of the Foundation for the Memorial's official English tourist pamphlet, however, states that the design represents a radical approach to the traditional concept of a memorial, partly because Eisenman did not use any symbolism. An attached underground "Place of Information" (German: Ort der Information) holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli museum Yad Vashem.
Building began on April 1, 2003 and was finished on December 15, 2004. It was inaugurated on May 10, 2005, sixty years after the end of World War II, and opened to the public on May 12 of the same year. It is located one block south of the Brandenburg Gate, in the Friedrichstadt neighborhood. The cost of construction was approximately €25 million.

Bluejeans, ribeiroantonio, BennyV, gokanlam, bobocortis, Clementi, Vasa, shevchenko, AiresSantos, Jeppo, jhm, maloutim, paura, ChrisJ, MarianneS, sunamoon has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Bluejeans (31529) 2009-07-02 5:51

Ciao Silvio ,
Que beleza de foto tem um grafismo magnifico , bonito o efeito visual destes blocos , gostei do jogo de luz e sombra , boa escolha pelo preto e branco , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

ribeiroantonio (21723) 2009-07-02 6:12

Excellent picture with an extreme artistic sense with the B&W presentation.
Well done.
Antonio

coco (27574) 2009-07-02 6:59

Hi Silvio.

Excellent graphism and also very good exposure for this photo.
I like it a lot and you made a good work with the composition.

Well done.

baba_flies (7933) 2009-07-02 7:01

Not much to say, Silvio, other than to look ... and think. People never learn or learn slowly, but places like TE help to understand each other better, how important. Love the graphic side in this one, also the b/w part, it gives the importance needed. Best regards, Barbara.

emka (21131) 2009-07-02 7:20

Hi Silvio, Fantastic graphic pattern, so regular like in crystal. Interesting lights and shadows, a bit Escher like. I haven't known such a memorial exist in Berlin. Very impressive place with simple means. Looks indeed like cemetery in Jeruzalem, only more regular.

Ciao

Malgorzata

BennyV (4466) 2009-07-02 8:05

Excellent shot, Silvio. I'm reading "Omega Minor" by Paul Verhaeghen, which is about the holocaust (and Germany in the 20th century, and many other things) - highly recommended, but certainly no easy read.

In this shot I think the pattern of this pov is just perfect. And bl/w is an obvious choice. It somehow has a futuristic feeling to it, which makes it a warning as well as a commemoration.

Impressive.

Benny

gokanlam (6399) 2009-07-02 8:15

it has a great graphical effect.. and your choice of B&W makes the photo more impressive.. interesting and beautiful place..
best wishes,
rela

bobocortis (14114) 2009-07-02 12:00

Ciao Silvio.
Un grafismo glaciale per un luogo che invita al raccoglimento.
Non si comprendono le dimensioni della struttura, forse un passante poteva essere utile, ma è un dettaglio.
Ciao.
Bobo.

Clementi (42833) 2009-07-02 13:46

Cio Silvio,
una grafismo ecceionale anche se induce molto a riflettere, trovo perfetta la scelta del bianco e nero.
Giorgio

Fis2 (45166) 2009-07-02 14:18

Witaj Silvio!
A very curious place.
Good frame and composition.
The light and shadows make impression.
Photo has climate.
Regards
Krzysztof

peppe59 (1673) 2009-07-02 14:55

Ciao Silvio,
geometrie perfette, gestione del B/N da professionista, come sempre perfezionista.
Saluti
Giuseppe

Vasa (4798) 2009-07-02 14:57

Ciao Silvio, amico,

skill realization of the great subject, the result of your artistic experience and sensibility. I like it, many thanks,

Branko

jonathan_hart (22564) 2009-07-02 16:36

the lighting and the B&W conversion makes this graphic photo successful, a very fine photo of this memorial
jc

gneufeld (14995) 2009-07-02 18:47

Hi silvio,
An image for thought and reflection - thanks for that, but artistically, this is exceptional. The full frame of shapes, diagonals, and shadows is a most creative black and white. Well done and TFs. Gerald

shevchenko (9736) 2009-07-02 20:01

Hi Silvio,
Simply but impressive memorial, interesting composition, good contrast of color between bright and dark area, good pov to frame it all, good shoot.
Ally

jimmyjimmy (426) 2009-07-02 21:47

Hello Silvio

Thank you for the image and story. May God bless you for showing this to the world. May we never forget.

Regards
Jimmy

AiresSantos (41272) 2009-07-03 2:58

Ciao Silvio
Well chosen the black and white by the graphism and the meaning of Memorial.
Excellent POV and contrast
Good informative note
TFS and have a nice weekend
Aires

Jeppo (11586) 2009-07-03 3:02

taglio molto grafico e minimalista che enfatizza l'atmosfera di "soffocamento" ed "alienazione" che nasce dal vagare tra tutte queste steli.

un luogo da non perdere per non dimenticare
jeppo

ciakgiak (10102) 2009-07-03 3:29

Ciao Silvio,
l'effetto grafico è di prim'ordine, enfatizzato dall'opportuna scelta del bianco e nero.
Il monumento visto dal vivo dev'essere davvero impressionante, anche e soprattutto per il significato che vuole esprimere. Grande foto.
Un carissimo abbraccio.
Giorgio

jhm (81659) 2009-07-03 3:57

Hello Silvio,

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial (German: Holocaust-Mahnmal), is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
This is the first time that I see this type of cemetery of Jews.
You play nice with light and shadows.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

azizbilgili (1714) 2009-07-03 5:06

Hi Silvio,
I like it a lot and you made a good work with the composition. Excellent graphism and also very good exposure for this photo.

TFS

cobra112 (11154) 2009-07-03 5:10

Ciao Silvio. BW tecnicamente ineccepibile. Ottimo grafismo. Ora silenzio!

Roberto

bracasha75 (21618) 2009-07-03 12:48

Helo Silvio
Nice picture....good for memories and hope that holocaust never ever happend
TFS
Cheers,Braca

rikko77 (5484) 2009-07-03 13:06

Ciao Silvio
ripresa alla grande, un bianco e nero impressionante per qualità e intelligenza nella composizione. Foto importante!
Un saluto e buona Castelluccio!
Rikk

paura (37736) 2009-07-04 0:56

Silvio,
A repetição das formas tomadas de um ponto muito bom imputa um bonito resultado gráfico. Beleza de trabalho.

Abraço

Paulo

ChrisJ (69464) 2009-07-04 3:36

Ciao Silvio

Fantastic graphic patterns, with superb sharpness, repetition, & contrast. A chilling memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Tfs!

cirano (1277) 2009-07-04 10:25

Slav Sîlvîo,
Excellent capture of this graphical composition.Nice B&W and light.
Thanks for sharing.Regards.
Dûrzan

MarianneS (14262) 2009-07-04 12:37

Buon giorno Silvio,
On opening your gallery, my attention was immediately caught by this very graphical shot.
B&W was the perfect choice, very well done!
The note is interesting too, thanks.
Ciao,
Marianne

sunamoon (5053) 2009-07-05 2:57

Ciao SIlvio,

Sin duda, has capturado la mejor perspectiva de este sitio de Berlín, muy buena adaptacion y increible grafismo, los contrastes y el blanco y negro es muy bueno para esta imagen! Buen trabajo!

Un saludo,
Elena

giorgimer (20634) 2009-07-05 15:08

Ciao Silvio,

hai interpretato magistralmente questo monumento, sapendoci rendere le sensazioni che vuole evocare.

Complimenti!

Gio

skippy007 (6781) 2009-07-06 22:37

Ciao Silvio, La bellezza di quella foto è un magnifico grafismo e il bellissimo effetto visivo di questi blocchi con il gioco di luce e di ombra, BN per me e una scelta perfetta. Sono cose che il mondo non dovrebbe dimenticare e mai ripetere. Complimenti
Saluti
Santo

bebbetto (2885) 2009-07-07 13:26

ciao Silvio.
bellissima composizione minimalista e grafista ( o meglio .. cubista) assolutamente in tema con l'oggetto della tua visita.
Semplice e dirompente allo stesso tempo
ciao