Photography is a form of art that can freeze the emotions of the moment in time. The development of the art has influenced the world in remarkable ways and it provided people with power to define the eras they live in. Bored Panda once did a list on 100 most influential photos of all time, which includes the iconic capture of the protesting burning monk, or a distressing shot of a student kneeling next to her dead friend during the Kent State shootings. Shots like these have defined the way we are as human beings and helped to look at ourselves from a different perspective: where are we going as a society? Why do we allow atrocities to happen? However, to really feel the influence and true impact of the photograph, one should know the context behind it. Here, we have compiled a list of thirty, seemingly mundane and not-that-spectacular-visually photographs with remarkable, unforgettable, strange and sad backstories.
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Tadeusz Zytkiewicz Holding A Picture Of Himself
Tadeusz is holding in his hands the best picture of 1987, as chosen by National Geographic, which shows Dr. Zbigniew Religa keeping watch on his patient after performing the first heart transplant surgery in Poland, which took 23 hours. In the lower right corner, one of his colleagues who fell asleep after the surgery is seen. Even though the surgery was considered almost impossible at the time, Dr. Religa took the chance and the patient - Tadeusz Zytkiewicz - even out-lived his savior.
The Three Unsung Heroes Of Chernobyl
If not for these three men in the picture - Alexei Ananenko (second left) and soldiers Valeri Bezpalov (center) and Boris Baranov (far right) - millions of lives would have been lost during the catastrophe of Chernobyl. Ten days after the meltdown, the plant's water-cooling system had failed, and a pool had formed directly under the highly radioactive reactor. Without cooling, the lava-like substance could easily melt through the remaining barriers, dropping the reactor's core into the pool. If this would have happened - it might have set off steam explosions, firing radiation high and wide into the sky, spreading across parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the photograph, engineer Alexei together with Valeri and Boris are fitted with protective gear after they volunteered to dive down into the waters and drain the fluid near the reactor during the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in Pripyat, Ukraine in 1986. The mission was successful and while the damage was still vile, the three heroes prevented what could have been a much more devastating event. Surprisingly and luckily enough, all of the three men survived.
Cher Ami
This pigeon delivered a message from a trapped battalion of soldiers in WW1 saving nearly 200 men. She was shot multiple times and ended up losing a leg and an eye. The soldiers gave the pigeon a wooden leg and gave her the name “Cher Ami” (although the pigeon was female, the French 'Ami' is of a masculine form) meaning “Dear friend”.
'Behind Closed Doors'
The couple in the picture are Elisabeth and Bengt - the photographer, Donna Ferrato, came to know them through a photo project she did on wealthy swingers. That particular night in 1982, in the suburban couple's home, the two got in a fight while Donna was taking pictures. The argument escalated quickly, and you can see in the photo Elizabeth being hit by her partner. Donna wanted to get the pictures published, but all the magazine editors contacted, refused. But the photographer knew that something has to be done and such vile actions should finally be brought into the daylight, so, in 1991 she published a book 'Living With the Enemy'. The book chronicled events of domestic violence and their aftermath. Donna's work blew the lid off the very contraversial topic at the time and thanks to her, in 1994 Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act.
I stayed with a guy who "only" shoved me into walls and "occasionally " grabbed me- the fact that he didn't actually hit me make what he did ok apparently. We still have a long way to go, but I'm so glad people like this photographer shone a light on this to get it started.
'Wait For Me, Daddy'
A touching photo, captured by Claude Detloff in Vancouver as the soldiers of the Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles marched off to fight in the World War II. The emotions seen in the parents' and child's face and their body language combine together to make it into an unforgettable image, freezing the heart-wrenching moment forever. Luckily, the father of the boy returned safe and sound in October 1945.
Behind The Counter
The humiliating and fury-inducing moment was frozen in time on May 28, 1963 by Fred Blackwell, a photographer for Jackson Daily News. From left to right, at the white-only counter at a Woolworth’s five-and-dime store in Jackson, sits three protesters: John Salter, a sociology teacher and students Joan Trumpauer and Anne Moody. All three were from the Tougaloo College - a black college, which became the core of the civil rights movement in Mississippi. While sitting at the counter, the party was assaulted by an angry white mob, who were pouring ketchup, mustard and sugar on John, Joan and Anne.
Childhood Friends
Taken by Jacques Gourmelen, the photograph became one of the iconic pictures from the people of Brittany, France. On April 6, 1972 in Saint-Brieuc, workers from the company Joint Français went on strike and CRS (French riot police) intervened. In the photo, face-to-face stand two men - Guy Burmieux, a worker and Jean-Yvon Antignac, a riot policeman. As it turned out, the two had been childhood friends and recognized each other. The photographer later recalled: "I saw him [Guy Burmieux] go toward his friend and grab him by the collar. He wept with rage and told him, ‘Go ahead and hit me while you’re at it!’ The other one didn’t move a muscle."
'Burst Of Joy'
'Burst of Joy' is another Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph. It was taken by Associated Press photographer Slava "Sal" Veder, taken on March 17, 1973 at Travis Air Force Base in California. The image depicts United States Air Force Lt Col Robert L. Stirm reuniting with his family, after spending more than five years in captivity as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. The centerpiece of the photograph is Robert's 15-year-old daughter Lorrie, who's seen with outstretched arms and a huge smile on her face while running up to her dad. "You could feel the energy and the raw emotion in the air," the photographer recalls. The photograph went on to become a symbol of the end of US involvement in the Vietnam War.
There's even WAY more to the story than this! https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/coming-home-106013338/
'Terezka’s Scrawls'
This haunting and eerie photograph was taken by David Seymour (one of the founders of Magnum Photos and one of the leading photojournalists of the 20th century) in a home for emotionally disturbed children located in Warsaw, 1948. The assignment at the center that day was to draw “home” on the blackboard. While other kids drew houses, Terezka, who grew up in a concentration camp, had a different idea of home. One can only wonder what the scribble depicts, but it seems as if the pain and the horrors endured on the camp is clearly seen in the piercing glare of Terezka.
Two Brothers
This seemingly fun and lively photo of two brothers - Michael and Sean McQuilken - was taken at Moro Rock in California’s Sequoia National Park on August 20, 1975. The photograph was captured by their sister Mary just seconds before they were struck by lightning. One of the brothers later recalled: “At the time, we thought this was humorous. I took a photo of Mary and Mary took a photo of Sean and me. I raised my right hand into the air and the ring I had on began to buzz so loudly that everyone could hear it. I found myself on the ground with the others. Sean was collapsed and huddled on his knees. Smoke was pouring from his back.” At the time, all the three survived, but Sean, the younger brother, sadly took his own life in 1989.
The Youngest Mother
When she was just 5-years-old, Lina Medina (born on 23 September, 1933) was brought by her parents to a hospital, who complained of extreme abdominal growth. After being examined by a doctor, a shocking truth was discovered - Lina was seven-months pregnant. Apparently, Lina was born with a rare condition called 'precocious puberty', which, simply put, is the early onset of sexual development. Lina Medina then officially became the youngest documented mother in medical history. She gave birth to a boy on May 14, 1939, by a cesarean section, as her pelvis was too small. The child born was completely healthy and was named Gerardo. However, the father of the child remained a mystery.
That's horrible! What kind of monster would do that to a 5 year old?
I read that her father was highly suspected to have been the one that got her pregnant. Poor little girl.
Its usually the father of other male family member, sadly :/
Load More Replies...Right up until the last sentence, the article seems to suggest that she became pregnant simply because she menstruated as an infant. Yes, that, and the fact there’s a sick f**k out there who raped a little girl.
This story belongs to Peru. I am peruvian and this case is still a conversation topic every time ppl discuss about medicine, child abuse and abortion. What is really terrible to me is the fact she was so terrified and scared that she never was capable to tell who did this to her. Never, a single word.
I hear you. What is really terrible to me is that after being sexually abused, she was forced to give birth. It’s illegal to molest anyone, especially a minor. How is it right to make a 5 year-old give birth? That question is for the pro-lifers, who are obsessed with the unborn, but don’t care about the living individual or their circumstances, let alone how the child will be taken care of. Down vote the hell out of this, because it won’t bother me one bit; no one has to agree with me, I’m just curious about the justification of it. Ball’s in your court, pro-lifers.
Load More Replies...And then she was sent home again to live with the monster who did this. Hope he rots in hell. Look at that poor little girls face!
She's too young to even understand what caused it. What kind of parents watch her abdomen grow for 7 months before taking her to a doctor?
Load More Replies...A monster who abuses a little kid for his own selfish pleasure does not deserve to be called a father.
Agree, he should be referred to as her rapist not the father.
Load More Replies...This should not be considered a "great" historical photograph. This is horrifying. A 4-year-old girl was raped, probably by her father, and there is no historical significance to being "The Youngest Mother." Sickening.
Lisa, where was 'great' mentioned in the title or url?
Load More Replies...I bet he was raised as her brother, poor girl, such expressionless face
that is actually what happened, the child was raised believing they were siblings
Load More Replies...How did Lina Medina fare for the rest of her life resulting from 1) the rape 2) giving birth at such a young age (even if she did not understand it then as the years creeped by and 3) at five she was on the front pages for this tragedy
She's still alive today, has outlived this and a second son (born during her marriage), and refuses to talk about it.
Load More Replies...Forcing a kid who should be in kindergarten to bear her rapist's child. Nice work.
Her parents didnt bring her to hospital until she was 7 months, that is dangerously late for an abortion. The baby would have to be taken by c section by then regardless if it was to be delivered alive or terminated. Poor baby, and i mean do mean both of them.
Load More Replies...I don’t like that most of the text about this is about her medical condition like it is just an interesting story. Surely the biggest factor is that this beautiful baby girl was raped and put through something that no five year old should go through
The father is more than likely a relative and she was definitely molested
This isn't a rare genetic condition, it's a natural response that many girls who are sexually abused from a young age are afflicted with. This happens in many countries where child marriage is still legal and common.
This is absolutely disgusting. The family knew. Of course they knew. There is photos of her pregnant (censored of course). The sickening fact that she was so terrified of telling anyone who did it means they would have continued (or possibly even did) without being known except this terrible twist of bodies being so amazing happened.
Sadly this is not an isolated incident, indicitive of the times. If you google worlds youngest mothers there is a wikipedia page dedicated to this topic. Truly vile.
Oh I had heard a story that was weird science expirimrnt of s young girl having a baby at 4 or ,5 when I read this I thought I'd got it wrong I'm going to google it.
Load More Replies...The next time you hear a rape victim's story (no matter how much you like the actor/singer/artist/poliitician who is the accused), keep in mind all the instances of these children being raped that produced no tell-tell sign like pregnancy. Pregnancy in such children is RARE, so imagine how often this horrible c**p happens that a RARE thing such as a kid less than 10 years old getting pregnant isn't all that rare (yes, I sadly found the Wiki article others previously mentioned). You NEVER see all of an iceberg above water.
This was rape. Didn't anybody make any research? Doctors? Police?
Her father was arrested but released due to lack of evidence.
Load More Replies...In South Africa many African men believe having sex with a virgin especially baby girls, will cure them of HIV. Horrifically true😡
Family members, neighbors, all different kinds of men. My own father was one.
Premature puberty isn't something you are born with, it's brought on by sexual abuse or exposure to environmental pollution. I think it's obvious which one caused this. I'm furious that they always act like this was an accident, an accomplishment, or a miracle. This was a heinous crime, that, as far as I can tell, was never punished. Other articles have mentioned who the rapist was, that's not so much of a mystery.
This is sick. Just sick. What kind of person, if I should even call him that, would do such a terrible thing?! My god, it's terrible how often this happens. What has happened to the human race? You would permanently scar this innocent child, and for what purpose? I try to think there's some good left in this world, but it's hard when we're surrounded by horrible stories like this.
Parents just had a kid. Five years later... Congrats you grandparents!!!
And likely parents again as well (in the case of her suspect father).
Load More Replies...This breaks my heart. She couldn't even know what was going on with her! The poor girl.
At that age, the father/rapist was almost certainly a relative. Five year old girls aren't often out and about attracting strangers. :-( I wonder what happened to the poor girl?
The father remained a mystery?????? I'm thinking if my FIVE-year-old got pregnant, I'd find out that name if it killed me.
The nurse doesn't look to happy about it either. What a sick bastard to do this to a child! Mystery my a*s!!
They ended up finding out it was either her father or uncle got her pregnant
Her father was arrested but released due to lack of evidence.
Load More Replies...This is sick. Obviously her dad was probably a pedophile! Who knows what horrible abuse this poor girl suffered.
It's actually known, the father of her child was her grandfather. Her story is not a mystery. The grandfather also continued to live with them for years. She did not raise her son. He was raised by her parents and they were raised as brother and sister. As she got older she also lost her memory of having he boy. She doesnt even know it's her kid. This story is something I researched and found an entire biography about.
You are confusing it with another case. Lina’s father was the primary suspect, not her grandfather. She continued to live with him, and he was raised as her sibling, though she is aware that she is the mother.
Load More Replies...The rapist of Lina remained a mystery. There, I fixed it for you.
The rapist of the child remained a mystery. There, I fixed it for you.
So, I read the article looking for an answer. Twice. But, in order to give birth she had to be inseminated, right? Who the F**K (excuse the horrible pun) has sex WITH A FIVE YEAR OLD??????? Please hunt him down and shoot him in the street.
Pedophiles have been around for a long time..I hope whoever did that to her,died a painful death.
How could it remain a mystery, likely it was decided not to investigate, the evil man got away with it, could even be a teenager that raped the child, so devastating !!!
I think photo needed to be seen. This poor child lived with unknowable sorrows and confusion. The abuse is beyond sick. I pray there’s a special place in hell for those that sexually pray on the innocent. Without these photos her tragedy would remain swept under the rug. No one to advocate for her. Even in death. I’m assuming this old picture she may no longer be alive. But her story is seeing the light of day. Poor innocent child. Just because she bled early?
Stupid people .thats sooo sad ....a 5yr old stupid wierd lonely people
I’m just so shocked. I hope someone did something about it! That’s absolutely terrifying
I guess in 1939 the identity of the rapist was too precious to disclose
So disgusting a thing to do to this child. I reached puberty also at a young age,9 years old, very traumatizing.
It was her father or uncle. Who else would have been near her like that?
Trust me child rapists take every opportunity they can do doesn't have to be the father
Load More Replies...Terrible.. poor little girl. How terrifying for her and utterly traumatising. As a mother to a little girl this breaks my heart. Some people are disgusting creatures.
What the hell😱😡the mother didn’t demand tests to check to see if it was the father? I sure would have! Or other family? My god! That poor little girl how devastating! Shame on the parents!
In 1933 they didnt have DNA testing
Load More Replies...You call that dirty piece of sh*t, who abused this child "father" ??? Ugh....
I cant believe this kind of horror exists in our world. Children being abused is the worst of the worst. Anyone capable of doing this to a child, a baby should just be killed on the spot. No excuses... Off with their head. Poor little girl. I do wonder if the girls family kept the child. I suppose I would be interested in knowing the entire story from start to present. Hopefully a happy ending
They waited until she was 7 months pregnant to take her in? Poor thing's belly was probably as big as she was!
OMG. Guess she was too young to even tell them who raped her. If it had been her own father she could have told the authorities that unless she was too scared. This was just dreadful.
So it's possible she was only 4 when she conceived .. Daddy or an uncle needed to be questioned.
Precious puberty? Sexual abuse!!! Rape!!! Regardless of why she's potentially could become a mother in a biological sense she could not become a mother without male sperm.... She became the youngest mother at 5 because she was raped and impregnated
Poor girl. How did she grow up? Sadly, children still get abused even by their own family. How dramatic is this. I cannot stand it. It even changed me only reading about such abuses. I do not trust men anylonger.
That is terrible. But her parents just had her and then five years later... Congrats your grandparents! I'm a very dark soul. But still very Sad!!!
She would be 85 now. Is she still alive to answer the question of who did this to her?
She'd be 85 now. Does anyone know if she answered the question of who did this to her?
She is still alive, and has consistently refused to talk about it.
Load More Replies...This was in 1939. He is dead, can’t find him.
Load More Replies...Dit is te afschuwelijk voor woorden! Wat een trauma voor zowel de veel te jonge mama en haar zoontje! De ouders zullen waarschijnlijk wel meer geweten hebben dan ze toegaven....
Makes one wonder what kind of rapist he was.. lucky that DNA was not done yet...lucky bast@rd.
I'd be interested to run a DNA test in this day and age. There is a rare condition called Fetus-in-fetu where a baby is born pregnant with a twin, but the twin is usually a partially developed fetus and usually not born alive. Some children carry their twin for several years after they were born. This could have been a rare circumstance where it survived....
This was not fetus in fetu. Lina began menstruating at a very early age, and her pregnancy followed a typical timeline.
Load More Replies...I wonder if they both are still living. I would love to know their Life stories, growing up as a 5 yr old "mom" & having a mom only 5 yrs older than yourself!
She is still alive, her child died at age 40. He was raised as her sibling, and she is said to have played with him like a doll.
Load More Replies...sadly enough, it was her doctor, who was investigating her rare condition
It was not her doctor. Her condition only became publicly known after her pregnancy was discovered.
Load More Replies...I just dont understand a few things. Hoe could she get that when her female insides werent grown ?? She must have died from the weight, and the ripped body... besides that ... its impossible to get eggs with 5 years already. That she got raped yes. But a child. No sorry.
Actually premature puberty is a real condition that can happen to little girls who are sexually abused. And no, she wouldn't have died from the baby's weight. It is possible for little people (adults) to have children you know. And there is a thing called cesarian.
Load More Replies...Lina was the one born in 1933 and her son born in 1939?
Load More Replies...Moving An Apartment Building To Create A Boulevard In Alba Iulia, Romania
In the early spring of 1987, in Alba Iulia, Romania, an instruction from the government was given to rework the infrastructure and make way for the boulevard - however, one apartment building stood in the way of the plan. Therefore, it was decided to split the building into two and move the parts 180 feet (55 meters) away. The building housed over eighty families and weighed over 7600 tons. The process took almost six hours to complete and the two separate parts of the building were moved apart on a 33 degree inclined angle. Stories went around that people remained in the building all throughout the moving process and one woman even put a glass of water on the edge of her balcony, which didn't spill a drop. Also, all the utilities (water, electricity, gas, etc.) remained intact, too.
Motel Manager Pouring Acid In The Water
The famous photograph, perfectly conveying the shaky times of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, was taken by Horace Cort. The image shows a group of white and black young people, swimming in the pool of a Monson Motor Lodge motel on June 18, 1964 while the manager of the motel is pouring bleach on them. Seven days prior to the incident, Martin Luther King Jr was arrested for trespassing at the same Monson Motor Lodge after being asked to leave from its segregated restaurant. A group of protesters decided to fight back peacefully and decided to plan a swim-in in the pool designated for "whites only" as a form of protest. Whites, who paid for their rooms in the motel, invited black people to join them in the motel pool as their guests. Then, the motel manager, Jimmy Brock, in an effort to break up the party, poured a bottle of muriatic acid into the pool in order to scare the swimmers so that they would leave.
This is where the stereotype "Black people can't swim" came from. They really had black people fear that harmful chemicals were in the pools they swam in.
Children For Sale
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this one is probably worth even more. Life during war was extremely difficult - food and supplies were rationed, jobs were scarce. For some folks, the struggling continued even after the war. In this tragic photo, taken in 1948, four children are seen on their front stoop while their mother hides her face from the photographer in embarrassment. Lucille Chalifoux, was only 24 years old, but pregnant with her fifth child at the time. Her husband has just lost a job and the family were facing eviction from their apartment. To evade possible homelessness, the parents chose to auction off their children. All of the children were eventually bought off. Some, as rumors have spread, were forced into slavery.
'An Armenian Man Dances For His Lost Son In The Mountains Near Aparan, Armenia'
Antoine Agoudjian is a legendary French photographer of Armenian descent. As no one could describe the work of art better than the artist himself, here's Antoine's story on capturing this striking image: “In 1998, I found myself in Aparan, a large town an hour’s drive from Armenia’s capital, Yerevan. A local dance troupe was performing that evening, in the open air, with most of the suburb in attendance. As soon as I took my first shot, an old man approached me. Tears streamed down his face. He told me that his son had died. That he had been electrocuted, that he was his pride and joy, and that I looked just like him. He broke into sobs and moved towards me with outstretched arms. His name was Ishran. I asked if he would dance for me, and he began dancing. The troupe paused and perched on an outcrop of rocks in the background. It was beautiful, not because the man is beautiful, but because he represents something deep inside the collective consciousness of the Armenian community: a celebratory resilience in the face of overwhelming loss.”
'Tragedy By The Sea'
One morning on the spring of 1954, a photographer for Los Angeles Times, John Gaunt, was in the front yard of his beachfront home when he heard a neighbor shouting that, “something’s happening on the beach!” John grabbed his camera and rushed to the shore. When he arrived, he saw a couple near the water who were clutching each other. As it turned out, their 19-month-old son who had been playing in their yard had wandered off to the beach and vanished into the water. The heart-wrenching photograph appeared on the front page of Los Angeles Times and won a Pulitzer Award.
Atomic Bomb Detonation
Harold Edgerton - an MIT physicist and a photographer - is best known for his invention of strobe light photography, allowing us to freeze fast actions in time, as in the famous picture of a bullet piercing an apple. In the beginning of 1947, Harold's research firm was commissioned to photograph atomic bomb tests in Nevada and the Pacific. This particular photograph was taken on June 5, 1952, as part of Operation Tumbler-Snapper test series at the Nevada Proving Grounds with a shutter speed of one hundred millionth of a second.
Wow. This is a view of a Nuclear detonation that I have never seen. I wonder what the colours would have been! Ipresume the tiny trees near the bottom of the explosion became specks of dust in the nuclear wind only milionths of a second later..
'flight Of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge In Korea'
Taken on December 4, 1950 by an Associate Press photographer Max Desfor, the photograph shows desperate refugees crammed on a destroyed Pyongyang bridge, over the Taedong River in North Korea as they were rushing to flee their war-torn country. The Chinese communist troops were approaching rapidly, so the residents, in fear of their lives, decided to escape to the Southern part of the country. The photograph won Pulitzer Prize for Max Desfor, back in 1951.
Absolute desperation. Exactly the same is happening now. Today. F*****g politicians.
Rajiv Gandhi
This is the last photo taken of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It was captured moments before a suicide bomber, (wearing orange flowers, lower left, also on the inset, top left) hugged him and detonated her bomb. The photographer was also killed during the attack.
Wow. Just wow. These photographs... they just. Wow. The fact that this captures a moment in time were everything seemed fine and then all of a sudden...
'D-Day'
The photo, taken by the legendary LIFE photographer Robert Capa, captured the hellish events of 6 June, 1944 - on this day the Allies invaded Normandy, marking it as the largest seaborne invasion in history. The main subject of the photo is Private First Class Huston Riley, a 22-year-old soldier, who was struck several times by bullets. The photographer together with a sergeant, helped Huston, who later recalled thinking: “What the hell is this guy doing here? I can’t believe it. Here’s a cameraman on the shore.” Robert, the photographer, spent about an hour and a half under fire as men around him died. Only a few of the frames from the film remained, they were all grainy and blurry. However, the shaky and unstable photographs brought a jarred and disturbing feeling to the viewer, helping to transcend the infernal moment of World War II.
And the thing is that Robert Capa risked his own life to photograph the D-Day landings and then rushed his film back to England.. only for a careless lab technician to destroy three and a half of the four rolls of film, so from his 106 photographs, only eleven survived, and those damaged.
Class Of 1999
At a first glance, it looks like any other high school picture – a bunch of teenagers smiling and showing silly faces. However, you can see Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold and their friends in the far left corner pointing pretend guns at the camera. Just a few weeks later after the photo was taken, Eric and Dylan would shoot 12 students and 1 teacher dead in a meticulously organised school shooting in Columbine.
Young Osama
This is a photograph of a nice and large family vacationing in Sweden, in 1971. However, second from the left, in a brown shirt, you can see a 14-year-old boy named Osama. Some years later, the name Osama bin Laden is going to be associated with terror and a murderous pan-Islamic militant organization Al-Qaeda.
'Leap Into Freedom'
Following World War II, the city of Berlin was carved into four occupation zones. The life conditions on each part were not equal and during the period from 1949 to 1961, around 2.5 million people from East Germany had fled the Soviet section of Berlin. The Soviets were concerned and the East German leader Walter Ulbricht, in order to stop the flow, had barbed-wire-and-cinder-block barriers thrown up in early August 1961. In the photo, the primary subject is 19-year-old border guard Hans Conrad Schumann, crossing the barrier. The West Berlin crowd were enticing Hans to come on over and he himself has then said, that he does not want to “live enclosed,” and suddenly jumped the barbed wire. The photo quickly made its way to the press and the iconic image of Hans leaping over the barrier became a symbol of freedom. The young soldier went on to live quietly in the West, however, Hans himself did not deal well with the newly-found fame and his status of an icon and, sadly, committed suicide in 1998.
SS Grandcamp
Looks like an ordinary ship at an ordinary dock on an ordinary day. However, the moment captured is April 16, 1947 and the ship is called SS Grandcamp. A fire has broke out and the men on the dock are members of the Texas City Volunteer Fire Department, attempting to extinguish it. A few minutes after this photo was taken, it’s going to detonate in one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in human history. 468 people had died, more than 5,000 were injured.
“I Will Not Be Sued! I Have The Voice Of An Angel! No Man Can Sue Me.”
On November 17, 1955, Maria Callas gave a triumphant performance in Chicago’s Civic Opera House. However, the real drama began after the opera was over. U.S. Marshal Stanley Pringle and Deputy Sheriff Dan Smith burst into Callas’s dressing room and served her with court summons for a breach of contract. Maria was furious: “I will not be sued! I have the voice of an angel! No man can sue me,” she yelled. The photograph perfectly conveys the intensity of the moment at the time and after the image made its way to the press, Maria Callas was dubbed "The Tigress". After the incident, the great diva of the Opera vowed to never return to the Windy City again.
November 17, 1955, was the day that established Maria's image as a tigress. She had just finished performing Madama Butterfly at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and was backstage celebrating her triumph. As the audience continued to applaud, Maria was approached by Marshal Stanley Pringle, who presented Maria with a summons to court. She was being sued by a former manager, Eddie Bagarozy, on behalf of a 1947 contract that named Bagarozy as Maria's sole representative. Though the two had not been in contact for several years, Bagarozy claimed that he was entitled to a percentage of Maria's fees and the expenses he was supposed to have incurred on her behalf - a total of $300,000. The case was settled out of court on 7 November 1957. The terms were not made public.
Soviet Soldiers Harassing A German Woman
Although the photograph speaks for itself, context is still necessary in order to understand all the circumstances surrounding it and the gravity of it. In the image captured, a woman is seen to be openly harassed by two Soviet soldiers, near the West Hall section of the Leipzig Hauptbahnhof central railway terminus. Sadly, it was not an isolated incident - the mass rapes took place in the occupied German territory during and after the war. The act of rape, as per historians, is oftentimes used to emphasize the victory. While most historians agree that such vile acts were commited not only by the Soviets, it was estimated that a staggering amount of 2 million German women suffered from the hands of communists, some as many as 60 to 70 times.
An Injured Young Mill Worker
The image captured on October, 1912, shows Giles Edmund Newsom who was injured while working in Sanders Spinning Mill in Bessemer City, North Carolina earlier that year. A piece of machinery fell on his foot and smashed his toe, which caused him to fall onto a spinning machine which crushed and tore out two of his fingers. He was 11-years-old at the time. Both Giles and his younger brother worked in the mill several months before the accident. After the boys' father found out that the company was to pay out money for Giles and not the parents, he tried to compromise, while their mother blamed the boys that they got their jobs on their own. The aunt is documented to have said: “Now he’s jes got to where he could be of some help to his ma, an’ then this happens and he can’t never work no more like he oughter.”
So very sad. Giles died at the age of 18. I can't even imagine what this poor boy and other children went through during this era.
Rodney Alcala
A photograph of Rodney Alcala in court cross examining himself. The man was a serial killer known as the 'dating game killer' who killed women back in the 1970’s. He got the name as he was a guest on one dating game show. He represented himself back in 2010. He would cross examine himself and would change his voice in the process as if it’s a different person. He was sentenced to death.
A lot of these were from a long time ago but this was recent... really makes you stressed.
Argument
Photographed by Abbas - a French-Iranian photographer - in Tehran, Iran, 1978, the heart-wrenching image shows a rioter holding the shoes of a dead friend. His comrade was shot after the military opened fire on a crowd. The soldier argues with a man that it was not his unit which opened fire. The capture is from Abbas' book 'Iran Diary: 1971– 2002'.
"The Last Laugh?"
The photo is of Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, two murderers, after hearing that they've been sentenced to death. The two killers murdered a family of four, including two children, after planning to rob them, but failing to find anything worth stealing except for mere $50. The seemingly casual and unconcerned smile on Perry's face brings an eerie atmosphere into the photograph, which, without the context, looks rather mundane.
Most of these are so depressing. I wonder if Bored Panda could curate a similar list of "interesting backstories" that are more uplifting and happy? (One of the reasons I visit Bored Panda is because I struggle with anxiety and need a break from my own thoughts. I realize I could just scroll past, but I kept hoping for more hopeful images.)
https://www.boredpanda.com/feel-good-faith-in-humanity-restored-uplifting-pictures/ I like this thread a lot for uplifting content :)
Load More Replies...A lot of these photos you want to go back in time and tell the people in the photo to get out of there... run.. don't look back.
Where would they run to that wasn't already also in a bad place? Considering the times?
Load More Replies...They should have included the photo of Ted Bundy's VW Bug taken at Lake Sammamish Park the day he grabbed two girls (Janice Ott and Denise Naslund). The photo was taken before the first girl disappeared by a photographer attempting to photo bikers that were having a loud rowdy party near the parking lot. The sad part is, when tips were being called into the task force before the Lake Sammamish incident, Bundy's girlfriend called in saying she thought he was the killer..describing his car and informing them that he kept a crutch and other odd items in his car. The tip got buried in amongst the swamping of calls that came into the hotlines. Note: I was at this park with my father at his company picnic that day..I was 4 at the time.
If you enjoyed this article, may I recommend a TV drama called "Shooting the past". It was shown on BBC 2 (in the UK) in 1999, and also released on DVD. It is centred upon a photographic museum of sorts, a collection of a million photographs ostensibly documenting everyday, unconnected events and people. The museum is under threat, in this drama, and the story shows the rich and complex value of this sort of documentation in a very emotionally engaging and profoundly thought-provoking way. It's intelligent, nuanced, and moving, and acted with great depth and pathos. It's one of my frequent recommendations and it's especially relevant to this subject, so if you feel you may like it, please do make the effort to find it - You're very unlikely to be disappointed.
Cast includes Gollum (Andy Serkis - playing a human being!) and, I've just realised, Davos Seaworthy (Liam Cunningham from Game of Thrones).
Load More Replies...We can't prevent leaders and psychopaths from wanting to start a war but we can object to it.
Load More Replies...I would offer an upvote,but..come on..thank you all for the reminders that humanityy can even get more evil...yikes
Very few of these are "ordinary" even if you don't know the backstory. People getting ketchup poured on them? An atomic bomb exploding? come on.
A lot of people would not have recognized them. For example the explosion.
Load More Replies...Thought-provoking, scaring, and/but in too many instances there are photos here that I rather would not have seen repeated. I believe that it is NEVER a good idea to give voice to murderers. There are too many copycat murders. There are too many weirdos out there who may decide to get their few minutes of fame, to be in the news. They are the real life trolls. Please do not give them ideas.
If you just look at the pictures and not read the titles or the stories behind them, they are normal looking. In fact, several of them look like something I would find in my Grandmother's picture boxes. I think the title is just fine the way it is.
Load More Replies...Most of these are so depressing. I wonder if Bored Panda could curate a similar list of "interesting backstories" that are more uplifting and happy? (One of the reasons I visit Bored Panda is because I struggle with anxiety and need a break from my own thoughts. I realize I could just scroll past, but I kept hoping for more hopeful images.)
https://www.boredpanda.com/feel-good-faith-in-humanity-restored-uplifting-pictures/ I like this thread a lot for uplifting content :)
Load More Replies...A lot of these photos you want to go back in time and tell the people in the photo to get out of there... run.. don't look back.
Where would they run to that wasn't already also in a bad place? Considering the times?
Load More Replies...They should have included the photo of Ted Bundy's VW Bug taken at Lake Sammamish Park the day he grabbed two girls (Janice Ott and Denise Naslund). The photo was taken before the first girl disappeared by a photographer attempting to photo bikers that were having a loud rowdy party near the parking lot. The sad part is, when tips were being called into the task force before the Lake Sammamish incident, Bundy's girlfriend called in saying she thought he was the killer..describing his car and informing them that he kept a crutch and other odd items in his car. The tip got buried in amongst the swamping of calls that came into the hotlines. Note: I was at this park with my father at his company picnic that day..I was 4 at the time.
If you enjoyed this article, may I recommend a TV drama called "Shooting the past". It was shown on BBC 2 (in the UK) in 1999, and also released on DVD. It is centred upon a photographic museum of sorts, a collection of a million photographs ostensibly documenting everyday, unconnected events and people. The museum is under threat, in this drama, and the story shows the rich and complex value of this sort of documentation in a very emotionally engaging and profoundly thought-provoking way. It's intelligent, nuanced, and moving, and acted with great depth and pathos. It's one of my frequent recommendations and it's especially relevant to this subject, so if you feel you may like it, please do make the effort to find it - You're very unlikely to be disappointed.
Cast includes Gollum (Andy Serkis - playing a human being!) and, I've just realised, Davos Seaworthy (Liam Cunningham from Game of Thrones).
Load More Replies...We can't prevent leaders and psychopaths from wanting to start a war but we can object to it.
Load More Replies...I would offer an upvote,but..come on..thank you all for the reminders that humanityy can even get more evil...yikes
Very few of these are "ordinary" even if you don't know the backstory. People getting ketchup poured on them? An atomic bomb exploding? come on.
A lot of people would not have recognized them. For example the explosion.
Load More Replies...Thought-provoking, scaring, and/but in too many instances there are photos here that I rather would not have seen repeated. I believe that it is NEVER a good idea to give voice to murderers. There are too many copycat murders. There are too many weirdos out there who may decide to get their few minutes of fame, to be in the news. They are the real life trolls. Please do not give them ideas.
If you just look at the pictures and not read the titles or the stories behind them, they are normal looking. In fact, several of them look like something I would find in my Grandmother's picture boxes. I think the title is just fine the way it is.
Load More Replies...