The effects of war Photo

Photographer’s Note

There is no need for many comments on this picture. This is what war leads to: graves and ruins. On this crowded muslim cemetery in Mostar most people had died in 1993, when the ethnic cleansing of muslims by Bosnian Croats culminated. In the background is one of the many ruins in the city which still, 13 years after the end of the war, are too dangerous to enter. Very little is done to pull down the remaining ruins because of a lack of money and political will.

Kielia, zeynepe, Gessle, fanni, noborders has marked this note useful

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Kielia (8397) 2008-09-27 2:02

Hello Gert,
those are the effects of war: destruction and grave yards. It is unbelievable that this ruin is still standing there after 13 years! And this is also part of our world we want to learn about... Thank you for sharing an impression that can really get one down!
Warm regards
Harriet

zeynepe (9342) 2008-09-27 2:29

Hi Gert,
My slogan is "no war , no blood!!!"
Thanks for sharing these sad stories with us.
Have a nice weekend,
Zeynep

Gessle (70) 2008-09-27 2:37

Hejsan Gert!
And this is why wars are the worst in the world!
So many people..so many orphans...terrible.
Good POv and stunning sharpness.
Anna

saxo042 (15514) 2008-09-27 9:22

Hej Gert,
I guess that all the obvious statements have already been made about this photo, so I´ll concentrate on the technical sides. There is a good contrast between the white gravestones and the ruin in the background. The diagonal lines inside the graves seem to lift the house in the background. Good POV but maybe a too tight cropping on the top, but that happens...
Hälsningar
Gunnar

molla (6881) 2008-09-28 7:21

Ithej Gert,
It's always very special when you comming to cementary and everybody is ending at the same year, like the whole word is suddenly silent , the silence of war. and the visual effect of having the gloomy old rwar relicbuilding in BG and the new shiny graveyard in FG
is striking.
Anders

fanni (8733) 2008-09-28 15:04

Hello Gert,
what is seen first of all is the contrast between the bright white objects (and flowers) in the foreground and the ruined dark building in the background. No words needed, indeed.
This photo also reminds me of the painting "Apotheosis of War", painted in 1871 by a famous Russian painter Vasily Vereschagin.
best regards,
Elena

omerozden (1241) 2008-09-29 13:32

hello gert,
you have captured the remains of the war nicely.
about your note, it is not only lack of money and political view, these ruins serve as museums. it is sometimes a choice to leave the ruins as they are.
regards,
omer

emka (21217) 2008-10-01 17:05

Hello Gert, The next impressive interesting photo from Mostar, ruins and new graves. And the graves are more carefully maintained. I could not understand how this war was possible. I remember old muslim cemeteries from my visit in '68. There were turbans on men's tombs.
Regards

Malgorzata

noborders (14199) 2008-10-02 2:10

I was also impressed by the cemeteries in that country, often so many graves mentioning the same date or year of death - tragic and terrible ! Your photos of that country are very "dark", did you have some positive encounters as well ? I remember that I did but don't feel the energy to scan these slides burried somewhere inside piles of boxes...

But anyway : we should never forget. That's the most important... The building at the back is revealing too...
Best regards,
Cath.