Photo credit – SJPA 010677
At this poignant moment of reflection, marking 80 years since Liberation Day in 1945, we at the SJPA have been searching extensively through our collection, looking back at many of the photographs documenting this period of profound historical importance.
Through this exploration there have been two images which have stood out particularly, SJPA/010677 and SJPA/010678. Photographed by Bernard Holley, the images depict the sweeping crowds outside of the Pomme D’or Hotel on 9th May 1945. By positioning himself directly within the crowd, Holley captures this moment in a raw and candid manner.
The images evoke a curious mixture of celebration and joy, combined with a sense of trepidation, observable by the numb and blank expressions observable on the faces of many crowd members, particularly evident in SJPA/010678. Powerful and compelling, the images very effectively highlight the sheer intensity of this momentous period.
Photo credit – SJPA010678
