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SACHSENHAUSEN
We are the hell

2006


On July 23rd 2006, we woke up in Berlin and decided to go visit a Nazi concentration camp located about 40km north of Berlin: Sachsenhausen. I was already nervous on my way there, I knew that I was about to see something that I would not like at all and I decided that I did not want to take any pictures due to personal reasons. Once we got there, before even entering the camp, the guide explained to us that Americans documented every piece of the camps in order to give evidence that the Holocaust did exist. It was the first thing they did when they discovered those places. At that point I changed my mind and realized that it was important to photograph my approach of that horrible place to remember us that we cannot leave freedom and human rights to one side and need to help other people. I never thought that place would be so terrifying. However, the saddest part was that, when I left, I did not have the feeling that it was over; that what I had seen was only history, because unfortunately, nowadays things like those still happen. And who knows if I will ever be the victim, just like what happened to Martin Niemöller, who said:

First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jewishs, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jewish.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me

SACHSENHAUSEN
Somos el infierno

2006


La mañana del 23 de julio de 2006 nos levantamos en Berlín y decidimos ir a visitar un campo de concentración nazi a unos 40 km al norte de la ciudad: Sachsenhausen. Ya de camino estaba un poco nervioso, sabía que iba a ver algo que no me gustaría absolutamente nada y decidí que no quería tomar ninguna fotografía, por cuestiones personales. Una vez allí, antes de entrar al campo, la guía nos explicó que lo primero que hicieron los americanos cuando descubrieron los campos de concentración fue documentar absolutamente todo, para que quedara constancia de que El Holocausto existió. Mi decisión cambió, pensé que era importante fotografiar mi visión de ese lugar para que no nos olvidemos de nuestra libertad y nuestros derechos humanos. Nunca me imaginé que ese lugar fuese tan aterrador... pero lo más triste de todo fue que, al irme, no sentí que todo pasó, que sólo es historia, porque hoy "por desgracia" eso sigue pasando... y quién sabe si algún día me tocará a mí... como le sucedió a Martín Niemöller, que dijo:

Cuando los nazis vinieron a buscar a los comunistas, guardé silencio, porque yo no era comunista.
Cuando los nazis vinieron y encarcelaron a los socialdemócratas, guardé silencio, porque yo no era socialdemócrata.
Cuando vinieron a buscar a los sindicalistas, no protesté, porque yo no era sindicalista.
Cuando vinieron a buscar a los judíos, no protesté, porque yo no era judío.
Cuando vinieron a buscarme, no había nadie más que pudiera protestar.