INTRO

At a certain point the tenor of the notations changes considerably, progressing from longer, exuberant entries to shorter, more somber ones: this undoubtedly reflects the stalling of the German offensive, which was relying on a quick victory before the bitter Russian winter set in. On the back of a murky, desolate scene, he simply writes “Following in Napoleon’s footsteps”, undoubtedly referring to the French Emperor’s defeat in Russia by the brutal winter of 1812. Sometime in the autumn of 1941, Peter perhaps exhausted his supply of film or abandoned photography; maybe he used his camera to barter with or simply lost it. In any event, it is extremely unlikely any of these pictures date from later than this period. Surviving records show that Peter and his crew continued to inspect bridges right up until the German retreat in early 1943 after the defeat at Stalingrad. Throughout this time he continued to send letters home on a sporadic basis; unfortunately these are now lost. During the Russian offensive to recapture the Dnipro River, Peter and his crew were all listed among the missing. A stone commemorating his life, erected by his brother Max, stands on a quiet spot on the banks of the Snieber. Its inscription reads “Der alder schweberhochst hinterlassen nacht spur im der himmel.” (The eagle who flies highest leaves no trace in the sky.)

GRID⋅1⋅2

« flight ⋅ circular river ⋅ home »