Soul crushing story, one I'll never forget and that still gets to me.
Poland, September 1939.
Kazimiera Mika (12) mourns the death of her older sister Anna (14) who was killed in a field in Warsaw during a German air raid.
Warning: heartbreak & horrible photos ahead.
🧵
Poland, September 1939.
Kazimiera Mika (12) mourns the death of her older sister Anna (14) who was killed in a field in Warsaw during a German air raid.
Warning: heartbreak & horrible photos ahead.
🧵
The photographer who took some of these photos was the American Julien Bryan, who wrote the following about this tragedy:
"As we drove by a small field at the edge of town we were just a few minutes too late to witness a tragic event, the most incredible of all.
"As we drove by a small field at the edge of town we were just a few minutes too late to witness a tragic event, the most incredible of all.
Seven women had been digging potatoes in a field. There was no flour in their district, and they were desperate for food.
Suddenly two German planes appeared from nowhere and dropped two bombs only two hundred yards away on a small home.
Suddenly two German planes appeared from nowhere and dropped two bombs only two hundred yards away on a small home.
Two women in the house were killed.
The potato diggers dropped flat upon the ground, hoping to be unnoticed.
After the bombers had gone, the women returned to their work. They had to have food.
But the Nazi fliers were not satisfied with their work.
The potato diggers dropped flat upon the ground, hoping to be unnoticed.
After the bombers had gone, the women returned to their work. They had to have food.
But the Nazi fliers were not satisfied with their work.
In a few minutes they came back and swooped down to within two hundred feet of the ground, this time raking the field with machine-gun fire.
Two of the seven women were killed.
The other five escaped somehow.
Two of the seven women were killed.
The other five escaped somehow.
While I was photographing the bodies, a little ten-year old girl came running up and stood transfixed by one of the dead.
The woman was her older sister.
The child had never before seen death and couldn't understand why her sister would not speak to her...
The woman was her older sister.
The child had never before seen death and couldn't understand why her sister would not speak to her...
The child looked at us in bewilderment.
I threw my arm about her and held her tightly, trying to comfort her.
She cried.
So did I and the two Polish officers who were with me..."
collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog…
I threw my arm about her and held her tightly, trying to comfort her.
She cried.
So did I and the two Polish officers who were with me..."
collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog…
Here is a short documentary Bryan made about his experiences in Warsaw, there is footage of the women who got shot and poor Kazimiera in despair.
Difficult to watch, Bryan left out footage he shot that was even worse.
Difficult to watch, Bryan left out footage he shot that was even worse.
I am a big sister.
This story always cracks my soul, no matter how often I hear it, no matter how often I see the photos.
It makes me angry, furious.
I cried writing this thread.
Never forget.
Julien Bryan died in October 1974, Kazimiera Mika died on August 28, 2020
This story always cracks my soul, no matter how often I hear it, no matter how often I see the photos.
It makes me angry, furious.
I cried writing this thread.
Never forget.
Julien Bryan died in October 1974, Kazimiera Mika died on August 28, 2020
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