anti-hitler coalition of journalists

Photo project for the 75th Anniversary
of the Great Victory «We Won Together»

This photo project is another message from those who went together to Victory, who shared responsibility for the destruction of fascism, who are alien to the idea of a new political confrontation.
1500 photos from 17 countries were sent by our colleagues, many of them with a short but meaningful note: «Thank you for the project». The most important thing about this photo project is that it is a story about the winners told by a generation of journalists who has never seen this war.
Open letter from the Organizing Committee


And the main thing is that we do not describe the victory that took place 75 years ago, but tell about the living winners in modern language, and everything that happened a long time ago is not for journalists – it is for historians and artists. We managed to collect genre emotional photos from almost all regions and territories of Russia and many foreign countries that fought against fascism. The result was a truly anti-Hitler coalition of journalists. And all is from today, about marked by time and Victory soldiers, who returned from the war, are living now. Following this principle we, together with the wonderful photographer Sergey Rusanov from Tyumen, Sergey Buravlev from the UK, Gleb Turkov from Latvia and our foreign colleagues from the Czech Republic, Canada, Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and other countries, selected 120 of the most interesting works for the exhibition «We Won Together» at the Hermitage, dedicated to the 75th Anniversary of the Great Victory.

Sometimes, when we rewrite history, we forget that behind every historical event there is a human life. Not collective, but of every separate person – a life filled with the bitterness of war, hardship and joy of victory.
Two weeks before the Victory, on the destroyed bridge over the Elbe near Torgau, the troops of the allies of the USSR and the United States met.

It is possible that at this moment, in the comfortable presidential offices, someone was already describing the scenario of the upcoming cold war, but the military photojournalist sent the world «a message», which until today is an amazing expression of the best human qualities – friendship, military honor, common victory.

So like today, at the turn of a new sanctions tension, while short-sighted politicians are sharing the Victory, erecting walls of mutual distrust, our colleagues, photojournalists from many countries, opposed the political day with their journalistic message over borders, calling for mutual respect, if not for friendship, then for civil honor, if not for victory, then for common peaceful coexistence. Russian, English, Belarusian, American, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Australian, Georgian, Czech soldiers look at us from portraits.
Faces inspired by duty done with amazingly kind eyes. When the war was over, we all witnessed lies about it and propaganda, far-fetched stories told by non-participants in the war. Photos of our living veterans 75 years later protect themselves and us from lies, distortions and they are addressed to the future to new generations. Winners protect, first of all, each their own Victory.


Our project is another opportunity for the entire journalistic community, and just for everyone who wants to see the live faces of the winners without any pathos and photoshop. And nothing more.

Dear colleagues, on behalf of the Organizing Committee, we once again thank everyone for participating in the project: «We Won Together».

Sincerely,
From The Organizing Committee
Ashot Dhzazoyan