*** Never Forgotten *** Photo Gallery by Naturephoto Monique at pbase.com

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Naturephoto Monique | profile | all galleries >> *** Moments of Life *** >> *** Never Forgotten ***

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* Never Forgotten *

German cemetery During the American-English offensive of 1944/45, the American graves service interred the German dead in five cemeteries in Belgium and West Germany, especially in the vincinity of Aachen, in the Hürtgen Forest and the Remagen bridgehead, including one on Lommeler heath. With more than 39,100 fallen soldiers, Lommel was the World War II war graves site in western Europe with the largest number of fallen.

In the mid-fifties, this war graves site was developed by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. (German War Graves Commission) for the fallen of World War II after it was commissioned to do so by the German government.

The Volksbund has to rely on donations and contributions for the maintenance and care of this site.

In international youth camps, young Europeans help to care for the site whilst at the same time building bridges of understanding.

In 1953, the first youth camp was held, laying the foundation stone for the Volksbund youth work. Lommel has been the site of a youth community centre since 1993.

Pictures are taken with the Canon 10D and 1DmkII, lenses : 70-200 2.8 L IS and 300F4 L IS

Herbey Morales		20-Nov-2009 23:34
Your compositions are such a beauty! V

Paul M		23-Mar-2009 21:40
It doesn't matter on what side these soldiers fought, you have given them a dignity in death through your wonderful photos. Very sensitively done and wonderfully shot and exposed.

JW		14-Oct-2008 19:43
A wonderful, awe-inspiring gallery and a suitable tribute to those who gave their lives on both sides.

endre novak		14-Oct-2008 09:31
beautiful realisation.

Dave Berry		26-Apr-2008 06:58
This is a stunning gallery. Thank you for sharing these beautiful and meaningful photos. Voted.

Henk Binnendijk		22-Mar-2008 21:12
Prahtig, prachtig je hebt een prima gevoel voor licht en rumte -H

edmundli		08-May-2007 08:46
Excellent idea and excellent gallery

Raf		30-Jan-2007 18:17
Een beklijvende galerij. Het mistige licht hierbij vergroot dit gevoel nog. Schitterend en tegelijk tragisch en berustend.

john andrew		01-Nov-2006 15:41
john age 66 there are no words to describe the beauty of it all

Guest		10-Oct-2006 03:06
Beautiful Gallery. Voted.

Tranquiler		03-Apr-2006 07:18
ENCHANTING!

Wilma Schalk		12-Feb-2006 10:20
These young men are in the memory of our Creator, who in his due time will give them a resurrection on our earth, the earth will be changed in a paradise, where all humans will live forever in health and happiness, without sickness or dead.No more tears, no more pain,because Gods Kingdom will rule the earth.Thats why they are "never forgotten".

Cindy Mead		22-Jan-2006 03:02
it has been way too long since I visited.. so many crosses- so many lost lives in the name of war. Gone, but never forgotten. A beautiful tribute.

Sabrina		28-Dec-2005 16:31
Eternally beautiful, really moves my heart to view these pictures. They hold something sad, this melancholy, yet each picture puts hope into the heart of one because of it's simple beauty. Cemeteries are such peaceful places... Unique work!!! Thanks!

Ray :)		20-Dec-2005 00:46
So moving, so well done as always.

Terry Mullins		14-Dec-2005 17:27
Row upon row of stone crosses whisper of the talents, personalities and unrealized dreams that will forever lie dormant....never to know fruition. The myriad of moments that would have been comprised of just living and being. The hopes and aspirations...just add to this thought what you may. A world view void of insight, understanding and love produces these results. I am saddened...what a waste.

Guest		07-Dec-2005 02:37
Beautiful and breath taking. Monique, I urge you to visit our Arlington Cemetary in Virginia(outside Washington D.C.) as well as the Marines memorial. I did a few years ago and it changed my attitude about wars. Thank you for sharing!! Dave

Werner de Vlieger		02-Dec-2005 17:05
Recently I moved to Stavele (Belgium). It's a village in the region of Ypres, well known as "Flandern Fields" (the "killing fields" of the Great War 1914-1918). There are hundereds of military cemetaries here in this region, and every time I leave my house at any direction, I'm passing several of them. Sometimes I stop and visit. It's sad to see that so many of those fallen soldiers were so young. Boys who did not even had the time to become a man. Killed for what ??? They even came from the other side of the world: New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, China (!), India, etc. to die here. I only can hope that they will never be forgotten. No matter if they were German or from a other country. Same thoughts of cause for those who died in the second World War and those who must still give their lives, for the interest of big oil companies, in Iraq ! wdv

Guest		24-Nov-2005 23:45
Monique, Your use of light and composition is a tribute to you. The sheer numbers of graves is a tribute to the foolishness of those who govern us. Thank you for sharing.

Guest		24-Nov-2005 20:53
these images remind me of time spent in normandy last summer taking in both the british and american war graves. the people i was with at the time had a discussion as to whether it was right to photograph graves. my opinion was (and still is) that the photos should be taken and used as a teaching tool for the generations to come and show people how many people died for the freedom we live and breath today. these images sum up those feelings. a stunning gallery.

Reflections by Ruth		24-Nov-2005 06:14
beautiful dedication, you have captured each one in amazing light and stunning compositions. I have ancestry in Germany and I would be sure I have some distant relatives in this cemetery.

Gary in Houston Texas		22-Nov-2005 23:12
My father died on Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944, during the Normandy Invasion of Europe. I never knew him because I was 9 months old. These pictures show me that other men, German soldiers, died also in that terrible war. Many of them had sons too that would never see their father. Both were fighting for their country. God bless them both.

Guest		22-Nov-2005 14:38
very beautiful light

Patrick DEBETENCOURT		19-Nov-2005 10:58
On ne pouvait pas offrir plus bel hommage à tous ces hommes tombés au front ! Bravo pour cette merveilleuse série très graphique dont vous avez su tirer le meilleur. Vous vez mes votes ! Patrick

Sharon Rogers		18-Nov-2005 15:58
Moving tribute, but very beautiful to. (Loved the light.)

Rob Oele		16-Nov-2005 12:46
Zeer indrukwekkende gallery. Mijn stem krijg je, Rob

Richard Calmes		14-Nov-2005 19:30
This gallery is very moving. You have an excellent eye for graphics.

G.Pietro Munaretto		14-Nov-2005 17:01
belle foto

Sander van de Wijngaert		13-Nov-2005 19:31
Took some photo's at a cemetery myself but like yours better. Have a look athttp://www.pbase.com/sander_nl/debrecen_cemetery. Beautiful light.

Mark Thompson		13-Nov-2005 14:10
A moving collection of striking images. The composition & lighting are fantastic.

Guest		12-Nov-2005 04:57
Wonderful tribute. Vote!

Jeff Gegner		08-Nov-2005 16:05
What a tribute those that have fallen. Thank you for such touching images.

Ronald Gale Johnson		01-Nov-2005 04:50
Beautiful and touching photographs. The lighting/mood/composition are all breath taking. At time of your update, please supply some details about the cemetery if you can. Best regards from Utah.

Jean-Claude Liehn		22-Oct-2005 04:29
Merveilleuses photographies. On ne sait si le brouillard est là pour envelopper de douceur ceux qui reposent là pour l'éternité ou pour nous rappeler le brouillard dans lequel a erré l'humanité durant ce terrible XXème siècle. Le 8 octobre dernier, j'ai eu aussi envie de photographier un cimetère militaire près de Reims. (Voir ma galerie CHAMPAGNE). Il y eu de grands carnages durant la première guerre mondiale dans ma région. J'aime beaucoup vos photographies et, avec vous, je n'oublie pas.

Guest		20-Oct-2005 16:50
This is a wonderful gallery, but it would be quite nice if you could tell me where this was taken. It's clearly a German graveyard, but where is it?

Guest		18-Oct-2005 04:54
Deze jonge mensen zijn in herinnering bij onze schepper, die als zijn tijd daar is ze allemaal een opstanding ten leven zal geven op onze aarde, die verandert zal zijn in een aards paradijs, waar de mens eindelijk eeuwig zal leven in gezondheid en geluk.

Guest		17-Oct-2005 22:52
one word.....................................OUTSTANDING.................Mac Uk

een fan		17-Oct-2005 22:13
hier word je stil van...je merkt dat foto's met een "gouden hart" gemaakt zijn...met veel gevoel... ik heb bewondering voor de mooie persoon die jij bent..Je gouden hart geeft warme gloed af...kijk maar naar de foto's...

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