An unknown refugee

One of the more dark chapters of Danish history, the treatment of the German refugees at the end of World War II is very evident at Vestre Cemetery. Here is a total of 5.344 refugees buried out of the 17.209 that died in 1945-49 in Denmark. There's still discussion about the treatment of these almost 200.000 as they were put under guard in camps. Some argue that they were treated well enough, others that the public anger at the Germans due to the occupation of Denmark was the reason why so many died here.

Flowers in the snow

 

A detail shot from Vestre Cemetery in Valby, a great place to go to get some close-ups of details. Also a great place to wander through the Danish history of the last 100 years. Here you'll find the graves of primeministers, artists, magnates, soldiers from the two world wars, German refugees, immigrants from all over the world and ordinary people lying shoulder to shoulder. There's sections for Catholics and Moslems, for people from Greenland and the Faroe Islands, along with a host of others. Even though I've been here many times, I can still stumble over something I haven't noticed before.

 

Break the rules

 

Never turn your lens toward the sun people say, but sometimes you get nice photographs breaking the rules. This one, taken with an iPhone at Vestre Cemetery, was one of those times.

 

Winter is back

 

Winter is back in Copenhagen, bringing a nice cover of fresh snow over all. And making bw photography easy again. This one I took yesterday with my iPhone at Vestre Cemetery a few minutes walk from my work. I got a few good ones using my Nikon too as it's (nearly) always with me, even when working.

 

Remembrance Day

The 11th day of the 11th month is Remembrance Day in Britain and the Commonwealth, the day where all the dead of the armed forces are remembered. This day, also called Armistice Day or Poppy Day has been a tradition since the end of World War I, which ended in 1918 on "The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month". There's not many British war graves in Denmark compared to many other countries, but it's possibly to find a few. This one is a monument in Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen and was raised in 1920 to honour the British soldiers who died in Denmark during their detention here. The inscription reads: 

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF NINETEEN BRITISH SOLDIERS WHO DIED IN DENMARK 1918 - 1919 ON THEIR JOURNEY HOME FROM CAPTIVITY

Soul Collector

Leaving the churches for a bit and going to the cemeteries instead I have this photo for. It was taken a frosty morning at Vestre Cemetery in Valby, Copenhagen. I like the photo for its frost on the surface which gives the bronze a very special look.

Vestre Cemetery is one of five large cemeteries in Copenhagen. It functions not only as a cemetery, but also as a park. And with ½ km2 there's room enough for both. It was opened in 1870 and has different sections for both Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, German soldiers, Greenland, Faroe Islands and English soldiers. In the middle of the cemetery is a lake around which only important persons can be buried. In this area you find a number of late Prime Ministers, explorers, actors and artists. It's a beautiful landscaped area, perfect for reflection on life and a quiet stroll while brushing up on one's historic knowledge.

I'll bring more photos from this and other cemeteries in the days to come.

Flere plakater

Denne lidt primitive "telefonboks" valgte
jeg for det fantastiske lys og den klare
blå telefon midt i alt det sandstensfarvede

Som den faste læser af min blog ved, vælger jeg med jævne mellemrum lidt billeder ud og sætter dem op som plakat med ramme og titel. Her er de seneste, der har fundet nåde for mit blik. Det er naturligvis mine billeder fra Malta, der dominerer, og de har ganske vist været vist før her på bloggen, men det bliver de vel ikke ringere af :-)

Billedet er fra en tidligere tur til Malta
og viser et par engelske telefonbokse
ved katedralen i Valetta. Det er taget en
grå og trist dag, hvor det eneste, der
livede op, var disse røde bokse.
Baggrunden er gjort mere dyster ved
at konvertere den til sort/hvid

Upper Barakka Gardens i Valetta.
Det, der fangede mit blik, var buerne
inde i hinanden og fliserne, som
leder øjet ind i udsigten i baggrunden

De to enkle farve og symmetrien i skoderne
var det, der fangede mit blik i dette billede

Udsigten mod Mellieha fra tagterrassen
på bungalowen. Solen lyser byen op,
mens regnbuen og de mørke skyer giver
dybde i billedet.

Enkle og klare farver og linier i
fiskerbåden giver et næsten abstrakt
billede. Øjet er prikken over i'et.

Billedet af vrimlen af huse i Valletta
lyses kortvarigt op af solen, mens de
mørke skyer giver en interessant baggrund

Udsigten fra Upper Barrakka Gardens
nydes. I baggrunden ses Fort St. Angelo
uskarpt og gennem gelænderet. Det
giver et indtryk af højde og dybde.

Billedet fra Vestre Kirkegård er konverteret

til sort/hvidt for at forstærke fornemmelsen
af det grå og triste. Tøvejret giver en anelse
dis under træerne, og de mørke
buske og træer rammer billedet fint ind.

Denne lille statue fra Vestre Kirkegård
er også konverteret til sort/hvid, selvom
statuen faktisk også oprindeligt er sort.
Blitzens glimt i statuen fremhæver, hvor
våd den er, så man kan fornemme,
at det faktisk er tøvejr.

Tøbrud?

Hvilket græs?!?

Det lader til, at vinteren er ved at være omme i denne omgang. Tøvejret har sat ind i København, så denne weekend har været sidste chance for at få lidt snebilleder. Turen har gået til Vigerslevparken lige uden for min gadedør, Kongens Nytorv og Kongens Have i det indre København, samt Vestre Kirkegård, alle steder jeg har været før, men ikke med sne som baggrund. Sneen er jo ikke ligefrem en sædvanlig gæst i Danmark, så det gælder om at udnytte det, når den ligger her. Det er nu ikke lige nemt at fotografere med sne som baggrund. Den automatiske lysmåler har det med at underbelyse billederne, men det er der råd for: Enten ved at kompensere på kameraet eller ved at give billederne lidt ekstra belysning, når man sidder foran computeren. Det første er selvfølgelig det bedste, men det kan være nødvendigt med lidt redigering efterfølgende alligevel for at undgå, at sneen bliver grå.

Vigerslevparken

Legepladsen uden børn - dejligt fredeligt:-)

Jeg ved det godt, jeg har en mani med bænke:-)

Nærstudier af blade med sne
eller frost er altid en god ide

Kongens Nytorv

Stærekassen

Nyhavn

Skøjtebanen har kronede dage

De kongelige heste skal luftes uanset vejret

Kongens Have

Ekko af Aksel Hansen

Nærstudie

Køling eller affald? Jeg lod den stå for
en sikkerheds skyld for ikke at skuffe nogen:-)

Liden Gunver af Th. Stein

Rosenborg Slot klædt i hvidt...eller gråt

Kamp med en slange

Vestre Kirkegård

Trappe. Smattet...og glat!

En blitz kan være en god ting selv i dagslys

Blitzen fremhæver den våde og mørke statue

Tøvejret danner dis under træerne

Sporerne i sneen forsvinder snart