Wehrmacht militairen op het Rembrandtplein 1941

Editor: This is a gelatin silver print titled "Wehrmacht militairen op het Rembrandtplein" taken in 1941 by an anonymous photographer. The monochrome and historical nature really give it a somber feel. What are your thoughts when you see it? Curator: It hums with the unease of occupied Amsterdam, doesn't it? That ordinary street scene—a cinema ad, folks in hats—is punctured by the presence of the Wehrmacht. Their crisp uniforms are in sharp contrast to the daily lives unfolding around them. Editor: I see what you mean! It's a stark reminder how much life carried on even under extreme circumstances. Is that what street photography was trying to capture then, the pulse of daily life? Curator: In a way, yes. But think of the bravery in pointing a camera at occupying forces. It’s a silent act of resistance, preserving a moment, daring to document what some would prefer unseen. It’s a risk I can hardly imagine. What story do you think those faces tell? Editor: Some seem to be staring directly at the photographer; others look away, almost in shame. Maybe it's projecting too much into it? Curator: Projection is part of the experience! Those fleeting expressions become potent symbols in a photograph like this, windows into the complex emotional landscape of the time. And in a way it speaks to something that's still relevant today: people just trying to exist in a world of constant tension and absurdity. What will we leave for those who come after us? Editor: Absolutely, It's a striking image – ordinary, yet charged with this powerful undercurrent of resistance and sorrow. I learned to see a whole history encapsulated within a single photograph. Curator: Me too. And it is important that we should never stop questioning what history truly means when looking at art such as this print.