10 Now-&-Then Photos of WW2 Scenes That Prove Just How Much History France Has Preserved
by N/A, 10 years ago |
3 min read
Young French photographer and avid history-hunter, Pierre, aka Mister Brick, put together incredibly contrastive then-and-now pictures of his home-town, Dijon, France (yes, that's where dijon mustard originated) displaying old historical pictures of the town during WWII, juxtaposed with identically framed pictures of it now.
As an archaeology student, Pierre has always had an affinity for the past, and how countries, cultures, and peoples have been shaped and molded by significant events. The French photographer's hope in putting together this brilliant album, is to powerfully instill a feeling of appreciation for the liberty and freedom we enjoy today, that those decades ago weren't granted.
This was the first image Pierre discovered, and what served as the inspiration for his project.
As you can see, quite a bit different today...
Originally, Pierre's aim was to show his friends that the streets they roam freely today...
Weren't always so free.
And he certainly does so trenchantly.
Pierre's project involved carrying his camera and computer with him everywhere he went.
After discovering a historical WWII-era photo of Dijon...
He would scour Google Earth until he determined its exact location.
Obviously, as you could imagine, this was a painstaking process...
But it was one that Pierre was committed to doing with his whole heart.
In this, the 13th century church of Notre Dame overlooks a group of German soldiers.
Here, German officers are captured posing in front of the iconic Parc Darcy fountain
"There’s one thing I love above this," says Pierre, "looking at the old picture while standing there, imagining Germans, the Free French Forces, the uniforms, the rifles, the pain, the joy, and all these situations around me..."
"It feels like I am, myself, a part of History."
Despite Pierre being the one who invested all the work to recreate these poignant settings, his message to his viewers...
Is that in some way, we're all a part of history - and it, a part of us. We should learn to appreciate the luxuries and liberties we experience today, because for many, they were only hopes and dreams.
✕
Do not show me this again