Bombing of Dresden

Bombing of Dresden

Men, women and children flee in panic surrounded by fire and destruction. One man falls to the ground near a pylon. Two ships are visible in the background and the nearer of the two has taken a direct hit and exploded in flames. At the top of the picture, six aircraft continue to bomb, causing further explosions and plumes of smoke.

Label reads “225”; signed by the author; caption reads “(I) DRESDA, GERMANIA, l’APOCALISSE CHE POCHI CONOSCONO. 13 FEBBRAIO 1945. La Bomba atomica sù Hiroshima provocò 71.000 morti, il bombardamento sù Dresda, sei mesi prima ne aveva provocati almeno 135.000. La tempesta di fuoco più violenta di tutta la storia, Goebbels diceva che a Dresda, c’erano solo fabbriche di dentifricio e talco, ma a Dresda furono i civili a pagare, e a un prezzo spaventoso. Il triplice attacco sù Dredsa, l’operazione “colpo di tuono” iniziò alle 22.15 del 13 Febbraio 1945, d’improvviso il cielo sì illuminò a giorno: erano le cascate di bengala al magnesio, in 3 minuti con un rombo assordante, planarono sulle case 244 ”Lancaster”…"

Caption translates as: “(1) Dresden, Germany – The Apocalypse That Only A Few Know. 13 February 1945. The atomic bomb on Hiroshima caused 71,000 deaths. Six months earlier, the bombing over Dresden caused at least 135,000 deaths: the most violent firestorm in history. Goebbels said that, in Dresden, there were only toothpaste and talcum factories. However, those who paid the consequences were mostly the civilians. They paid a horrendous price. The triple attack over Dresden – operation “Thunderclap” – began on 13 February 1945 at 10.15 pm. Suddenly, the sky became floodlit with magnesium flares. Within three minutes, 244 Lancaster aircraft glided [sic] on the houses, making a thunderous rumble…”.

One tempera on paper, pasted on mount board

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