Kerstfeest bij de Reichsbahn Possibly 1943

This photograph of a Christmas celebration during the Reichsbahn era offers a glimpse into a disturbing juxtaposition of festivity and ideology. I imagine the photographer, compelled by duty or perhaps a twisted sense of pride, framing the scene. What might they have been thinking? Were they aware of the dissonance between the supposed joy of the season and the looming presence of the Swastika? I wonder if they saw themselves as part of a grand project, or just another face in the crowd, trying to make sense of it all. The composition is stark. The figures seated around the table are frozen in time, their expressions unreadable. The banality of the setting clashes with the charged symbol looming in the background, creating a sense of unease. It makes me think of other photographs and paintings that have captured a similar atmosphere, a world where light and dark are forced into an uncomfortable embrace. These pictures are never really finished.