Raymond J. Bowman Memorial (Robert Capa Photo)
Details:
On the outside wall of the ground floor of Cafe Eigler. Plaque
A plaque in colors which commemorates PFC Bowman of the 23rd Infantry Regiment and Robert Capa, a US Army photographer. The plaque is inscribed in German and English text. The photo printed is Raymond J. Bowman with his fellow comrade Lehman Riggs who was holding the machine gun, minutes prior to Bowman’s death. The building also holds an exhibition dedicated to The Last Man series and other Capa pictures which tell the story of 18 April.
Private First Class Raymond J. Bowman and Lehmann Riggs, set up their 30 caliber M1917 Browning machine gun on an open balcony in order to provide cover for the American troops of the 2nd US Infantry Division, who were advancing over a bridge. This balcony had an unobstructed view on the bridge however this same clear view would turn out to be a deadly mistake for Pfc. Raymond J. Bowman.
After taking half of the city, the commanding officer ordered the heavy weapons squad to climb to the third floor of the Jahnallee apartment building (nr. 61). Together with them was the famed war photographer Robert Capa. Capa was standing just a few feet away from Raymond Bowman when the serviceman was shot down by a German sniper in the forehead while reloading. Capa, who was dressed in an unmarked Army fatigues, rushed up to the flat and captured striking images of the dead soldier in a heap on the floor.
From Lehman Riggs: “We only fired with one person at a time, and we alternated…one person being exposed all the time. I had just been firing the gun, and I just stepped back off the gun and he had taken over. In 30 seconds, I happened to look up and see the bullet pierce his nose. The bullet that hit him killed him, ricocheted around the room, and it’s a miracle that it didn’t hit me. As soon as he got hit, somebody had to take the gun. I had to jump over him and start firing the gun.”
The images were published in Life magazine’s Victory edition on 14 May 1945 with the caption “The picture of the last man to die”, under the headline “Americans Still Died”. They became some of the most memorable images of the Second World War.
Source of info: worldwars.com, steemit.com, theguardian.com
Monument Text:
Auf einem Balkon dieses Hauses On April 18,1945 starb am 18. April 1945 on one of the balconies in this building der junge US-Soldat Raymond J. Bowman. a the young US soldier, Raymond J. Bowman. Er fiel für die Befreiung Leipzigs He fell for the liberation of Leipzig und die Beendigung des 2. Weltkrieges in Europe. and the end of WW II in Europe. Der Kriegsfotograf Robert Capa The war photographer Robert Capa hielt diese erschütternde Szene captured the terrifying scene of Bowman's death in einer berühmten Bildfolge fest, in a famous series of images. der er zwei Jahre später Two years later, Capa titled this series den symbolischen Titel »The Last Man to Die« »The Last Man to Die«. [Der letzte Tote des Krieges] gab. With these powerful images, Cape hat mit diesen eindringlichen Bildern Capa created a reminder of the horror of war das Grauen des Krieges festgehalten, and the importance of peace. um an den Wert des Friedens zu erinnern.
Leipzig, im April 2016 |
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division
2nd Infantry Division
Wars:
WWII
Other images :
