No more war
Client
freelance work
They stand there as silent witnesses against war – bunkers, landing platforms, military cemeteries. On the Normandy coast for around 80 years. They are memorials that remind us of the insanity of war. The most famous of these symbols is probably the bunker at Saint Marguerite-sur-Mer. During the Second World War, it was located above the cliffs. Due to ongoing erosion, there was a danger that it would one day fall from the cliff. In 1994, it was demolished from above the cliff to the beach in a controlled explosion. Gravity rotated it 90 degrees as it fell, and in this position it became embedded in the beach. I was there for two days to photograph it at different times of day and in different lighting conditions. I noticed the rusty metal reinforcements. Like scars, they run through the concrete and tell us in their own way that war always leaves wounds and scars. There are no winners in a war, only losers.
The remains of the landing platforms come from the historic Mullberry Harbor, built by the Allies in Arromanches-les-Bains. This artificial harbor and other identically constructed harbors played a crucial role in supplying troops after the Normandy landings. The structure consisted of huge concrete blocks, called caissons, sunk into the sea to create a protected harbor facility. Floating roads, called whale bridges, connected the ships to land and enabled the transport of vehicles and goods. These whale bridges were prefabricated in Great Britain in utmost secrecy, towed in sections across the English Channel, and assembled on site in Arromanches-les-Bains. Immediately after D-Day, on June 6, 1944, the ships set sail from Great Britain with the whale bridge components, and the first parts were assembled in Normandy as early as June 7, 1944. Within a few days, Mulberry B, the name of the artificial harbor, was operational. However, on June 19, 1944, it was severely damaged by a storm. Nevertheless, it remained in operation until October 1944. Hundreds of thousands of tons of material and many soldiers were brought ashore here.
As we continued driving, we discovered a painted bunker with a dove of peace, a rainbow, and colorful balloons, reminding us that peace is one of the highest goods.
I edited the images in this series – sometimes gently, sometimes intensely. Always with the goal of making these memorials as powerful as possible. Their message to us is more important than ever.
