OK to put these photos in album to show to family?

[InflatableBuddha]

I'm putting together a photo album (on DVD) of my recent trip backpacking around Europe to show to my grandparents, parents and brother.

I took a few pictures at a concentration camp in Austria (Mauthausen), and I am having trouble deciding whether or not to include them in the album. They are simply architectural shots, which show the interior and exterior of some of the buildings. No people are posing in the pics, although in some pictures, there are people are in the background with their backs to the camera.

There are a few reasons to consider including the pictures - they are neutral and do not make light of the horrific events that took place there. At the time, I decided to take the pictures simply because I was there and it was not prohibited. I suppose it helped me to process what I was seeing.

However, I could also see that some people would find any pictures of a concentration camp or other site of a horrific tragedy to be offensive - such sites should be visited only and not recorded in any manner.

I'm just curious as to what AT thinks. Serious replies only, please. If I can't decide, I'll just omit the pics, rather than risk offending my family.

 

[Scouzer]

Is your family Jewish? I did not think twice about putting our concentration camp photos in my online albums...

 

[Toonces]

Well, here's a link to my Cambodia album (req. Facebook) with both the "killing fields" and Tuol Sleng prison. Text

History, especially historical atrocities and genocide, shouldn't be something to shy away from. Unless your family was personally touched by the Holocaust I would think the pictures will do nothing but help educate them about the horrors of genocide.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

No, they're not Jewish, nor has anyone in my family been in a concentration camp. The reason I got to thinking about this is I recalled a conversation with my friend I stayed with in Berlin. He said that as a German citizen (but not a Jew), he would never take pics at a concentration camp - not because he's ashamed of his country's history, but because he felt it would be disrespectful.

I respectfully disagreed with him on that point.

I agree that if tastefully done, these types of pictures can serve as a reminder of past horrors, so that hopefully, they are not repeated.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[SirStev0]

Originally posted by: toonces
Well, here's a link to my Cambodia album (req. Facebook) with both the "killing fields" and Tuol Sleng prison. Text

History, especially historical atrocities and genocide, shouldn't be something to shy away from. Unless your family was personally touched by the Holocaust I would think the pictures will do nothing but help educate them about the horrors of genocide.

Well said.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: SirStev0

Originally posted by: toonces
Well, here's a link to my Cambodia album (req. Facebook) with both the "killing fields" and Tuol Sleng prison. Text

History, especially historical atrocities and genocide, shouldn't be something to shy away from. Unless your family was personally touched by the Holocaust I would think the pictures will do nothing but help educate them about the horrors of genocide.

Well said.

:thumbsup:

 

[jpeyton]

Depends.

Do you like having deep, thoughtful, emotionally engaging conversations with your family? Include the pictures.

I don't. So I try to fill my slide-shows with pretty things and portraits instead.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Are you trying to woo said family members? If so, you should definitely include them. Anyone willing to sleep with their immediate relatives is probably turned on by that sort of thing.

Seriously though, include them. I can't imagine anyone being offended at their inclusion, and even if they are, you're merely trying to record what you saw. If the images have power, that's a good thing. It reminds us of a horrible atrocity in human history that must never be allowed to happen again. After all, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.