Some of these rare historical photos are bone-chilling, while others are glimmering with joy. The world is a terrifying, yet pleasant place. People have been killing themselves since man realized that he can use his fists to get what he wants. But at the same time, laughter and joy has fueled us, and brought humanity closer together. Technical advancements have made it possible for you to read my words, even though you are probably thousands of miles away, and civil rights movements marked our progress towards a better world for all.
When we, as humans, started taking photos, we learned that we not only can capture memories with a camera, we also capture the era’s soul and heart.
1. Buchenwald concentration camp guards
After the Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated in 1945, the prisoners got their just revenge on some of the guards who tormented them day-in, and day-out.
Built in 1937 near Weimar, Germany, the Nazis plastered the entrance of the camp with a slogan meant to provoke existential anguish for whoever was not part of the Reich, and Hitler’s perfect aryan race. Written on the main entrance gate, Jedem das Seine means to each his own, literally, and figuratively everyone gets what he deserves.
It seems to me that these concentration camp guards didn’t get enough of what they deserved.
2. Audrey Hepburn and her deer
On a more lighter note, here we have Audrey Hepburn shopping for groceries along with her pet deer. The picture was taken in Beverly Hills, 1958, meaning that she was 29-years-old, and right at the beginning of her booming acting career.
Does anyone know what happened to her deer?
3. Kurt Cobain and his daughter, Frances
The grunge icon, guitarist, vocalist and founding member of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain is known to have said that the best drug in the world is holding his daughter, Frances. Too bad that this wasn’t enough to trump his other addictions.
4. Muhammad Ali and The Beatles
I’m not quite sure who was the bigger fan here.
Muhammad Ali is undoubtedly a big The Beatles fan, and I’m sure that he’s still listening to the occasional Abbey Road album, even at his respectful age of 74. But The Greatest and The Beatles didn’t really have a great start.
You see, the four legendary musicians were kind of annoyed waiting for Ali, who was running late for the photo-shoot. Yet, when the door burst open, and everyone met Ali’s charming laugh John, Paul, Ringo and George, all immediately fell in love with him and started giggling, forgetting about having to wait for the boxer to arrive.
The emblematic picture was taken in 1964.
5. Every soldier counts
…even those who make barking sounds.
Dogs have been in warfare since ancient times. The United States even has a US War Dog Association that commemorates and respects our most beloved pets.
The picture above was taken in World War II, in Normandy of 1944.
6. The freedom of women is not a crime
The suffragist movement changed the highly-bigoted world that we used to live in. Can you image a time where women were seen inferior to men? Well, you surely can, because women are still discriminated today – not as much, thanks to the suffragist and feminist movement, but still, it’s an issue.
7. Tsar Nicholas II and his daughter, Anastasia
Grand Duchess Anastasia, that is.
Her father, Tsar Nicholas II, is seen allowing his daughter to smoke. Some of you may see this as bad parenting, while others note that lung cancer clearly wasn’t the issue for Anastasia as her time on Earth was cut short due to, you know, the whole Romanov family being killed by the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin.
8. A young Queen Elizabeth II
The picture was taken when she was 18-years-old, that puts the photo-shoot in 1944. Queen Elizabeth II is from House Windsor, a highly-reputable English House that has been ruling over England, and its Commonwealth regions, since 1952.
9. Titanic survivors
The Titanic sank on April the 15th, 1912, halfway through its voyage. Over 1,500 people died that early morning when the ship hit an iceberg. The lucky few who managed to save themselves, were rescued, as seen in the picture above, by the Carpathia.
10. Anti Nazi demonstration in Berlin
It took place in 1932, when the Nazi party was beginning to gather more and more followers, with each passing day. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone who lived in Nazi Germany during WW II was evil. Not everyone agreed with concentration camps and killing minorities, and performing incredibly cruel acts, horrid tortures that stained our history.