4-4-1944. (Please view larger).

Thank you.

Thanks so much for sharing this, Dimi. I often wonder how hard it was for people to have experienced times like these. Well done, my friend. Regards, Lawrence.

You have brought forth a page from history ...... We, who are sitting within our sheltered dens and blame others or fate for not giving all we want, often choose to forget what atrocities could have been awaiting us. Pictures of this kind are eye openers. Thank you so much for sharing.

We are in these times again. Thank you for the inspiring image.

I just noticed an error here; I said that it was 55 years today; when I looked at it I realized that I was not even born when the picture was taken…-:). So 65 should be the correct number. I also noticed that the 3rd appears as a date for your comments. I posted this photo after midnight on the 4th GMT; I guess is the time difference, never mind. Having done my house keeping I want to make a few comments; Lawrence, my new found PN friend, I also wonder, but how many people do? Jayanti, it is a page from history my friend and you are right in what you say. We can not rewrite history but is our moral duty to learn from it. I deeply honor the people that fought for freedom especially the volunteers like my Dad who never stopped talking about his war experiences, some times even in his sleep. George when ever rare emotion is replaced by greed and thirst for power we will have the problem that we have now. In the book 1984 G. Orwell made a prediction unfortunately he was right. All the signs are there, we must learn to read them like the weathermen read the weather and take personal responsibility for events at least for the sake of our children who are the future.

Really very good documentary...I like it and its story....I hope you and your wife like Istanbul...Have a good trip...best regards.

Hello dear friend Mehmet, I am told is one of the most beautiful Cities in the world, the jewel of the east somebody called it, I can't wait. It's a pity you are not going to be there at the same time. Thank you for your wishes and your interest. Regards.

Brave men, they made it into freedom,risking their own lives,fighting Nazism and fascism everywhere.Your father has got the appearance of the real group leader.

History written should never be forgotten.I'm glad you remind us of days and times much harder than those we live nowadays.

Hi Dimitris,

Very nice restoration.

Thank you for the story behind it

Razvan

Great story and document. Kind regards.

Thank you Photi for your kind comment. And yes, humanity went through tougher times than what we are going through now. Fortified and inspired by that thought we will come through my friend. Be sure of that.

Hello Razvan, I thank you for your comment and I am glad that you also have undertaken a restoration project. The ancestors are sacred monuments and they, amongst other things, inspire and guide us. The story continues with this twist; the chap on his left is a Greek and the chap on his right is an Italian…He was interned with them as he was a member of the Italian Resistance. The concentration camp from which they escaped was situated in Italy where my father learned Italian along with his Greek colleague. One would have thought that by escaping to Switzerland their troubles were over…It was not to be. Those three men returned to Italy and they made their way to Sicily where they helped escapees to make it to Egypt.

Thank you Jose, for your comment. I will also add a historical note in a broader sense to tie up the situation. After Italy's armistice on 8 September 1943, the Italian resistance movement became massive. The Italian partisans, as military formations of the Italian resistance movement, fought German occupying forces in Italy and Greece and the Mussolini-led Rebublica Sociale Italiana.

All opposition to Nazi-Fascism in Italy during the final period of World War II can be broadly defined as Resistenza.

More than 300,000 armed fighters (among them 35,000 women) took part in the fighting forces. The Italian resistance movement included elements in the country as well as among Italian armed forces abroad. Participants in the 1944-1945 strike movement in the factories of Turin, Milan, and other industrial cities are considered to be a part of the Italian resistance movement as well; many of the strikers were later deported to German concentration camps as a result of their "sabotage" of the war effort. Italian soldiers who refused to cooperate with the German armed forces after the Armistice are considered as Italian resistance heroes. One of the best known example of such behaviour was the Italian garrison in Cefalonia, who refused to surrender the base to overwhelming German forces, right after the Allied armistice with Italy in September 1943; six thousand prisoners were shot by a German firing squad after the struggle.

The 1948 Italian Constitution of the Italian Republic declared itself to be "built on the Resistance’’.

 

Really very good documentary.Lovely ...

 

The stories of anonymous men in difficult times are more significant and intimate that big epics. Thank you for sharing stories of ordinary men. Congratulations. Best wishes. Vicente.

How wonderful the story behind this photo. My hats off to each and everyone of these gentlemen. Thank you for sharing the history and this image. Take care

Thank you Senol for dropping by and for your comment, I appreciate it.

Vicente I like the ring of the ‘’Anonymous men’’ and yes ordinary men that did extraordinary things.

Thanks to you too, Cynthia. God knows what would have happened if it was not for these men and millions like them…

 

A very good historical document,,your words describing this make it SO interesting....Bravo !

Thank you so much for sharing this piece of your family history. I have much admiration for all who have endured such trying times and those who have passed the lessons so that we will never forget!

 

Best regards, Pamela

 

Lovely and interesting document: you have a lot of wonderful old image, my dear friend!...Ciaomau!

I think that there will always be a place for you and your work on Photonet - lest we forget, best wishes

Thank you for sharing Dimitris.

Your father and other are Hero's.

It is necessary the Holocaust keeping in remembrance.

Hoping that such devil evil never shall happen.

Kind regards.

This is a super cool photo and well preserved. Thank you for sharing this piece of history

Historical and emotional capture the same time. I think that all what the war left in their souls is reflected on this photo. Great upload Dimitri, regards from Thessaloniki

This is such a great image and the comments are stunning, I enjoyed my morning looking and reading.

These men look to be in ok health, so incarceration may not have been that long. However they knew the longer they stayed, they would loose the stamina to even attempt to leave. They didn't give up.

I like the personalities of all the men coming though in this image.

My father was 1st wave at Normandy, Omaha Beach, never talked much about the war but when he did I listened.

These men were hero's and a great many sacrifices were made in order to make things right.  It makes me think twice when I am about to complain that there is not enough foam in my latte

Thank you very much for your wonderful comment and I am moved to hear that your father was on Omaha Beach! Those guys wrote history with their blood...

 

Warmest regards,

 

Dimitris.