Two US soldiers in an embrace in the snow, Austrian Alps, WW2, 1945 (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 months ago by PugJesus@lemmy.world to c/historyporn@lemmy.world

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‘In 1945, these two soldiers had hiked up into the Austrian Alps and a friend took their picture as they embraced in the snow. One soldier kept these snapshots hidden in a shoebox until the early 1990s when he handed them to a relative, along with the ring that he was wearing in the Alps photo, with the request: “Please keep these safe for me.” According to the relative, the soldier, nearing the end of his life, wanted to preserve the one thing that meant more to him than anything else. He passed away two years later.’

I'm not crying, you're crying...

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[-] GraniteM@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Privilege is being able to love who you love and not have to keep it a secret almost unto the grave for fear of being destroyed personally or professionally or potentially even facing criminal charges.

[-] ThomasCrappersGhost@feddit.uk 3 points 2 months ago

And they were roommates.

Probably. Maybe.

[-] tomcatt360@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 months ago

Oh my God they were roommates.

[-] Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee 2 points 2 months ago

Pair of confirmed bachelors right there.

[-] troybot@midwest.social 2 points 2 months ago

You see what happens, Larry?! You see what happens when you find a Stranger in the Alps!

[-] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

They're just good friends.

Really really good friends!

[-] PugJesus@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Bestie rings ♥

[-] niktemadur@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

During WWII, everything was in black and white and no gaydar!

[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I have several gay friends .... some of who grew up in the 60s and 70s. I find it so strange to talk to some of them and ask them what it was like to be gay in the 60s knowing that it was illegal in Canada! We like to think that this history is some ancient record that no longer matters ... the people that lived this reality are still alive today and can tell you about it.

And we can't forget it because knowing and understanding it means that we won't revert back to this insanity.

BTW ... almost forgot ... that is a great image and yes I do fee like crying ... beautiful

[-] glimse@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Remember when it was a huge controversy that Ellen came out on her show in 1997?

[-] PupCuir@feddit.online 2 points 2 months ago

I find old photos of LGBT people back in the day very interesting. Since the late 1960's, it feels like it all just started happening around then. Seeing these photos really shifts one's perspective.

[-] Gullible@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

I want to be the one to make the roommate joke, but I don’t feel like writing the roommate joke because it’s tired and uninteresting.

Cute picture, sadly common story. Hopefully, for once, humanity will preserve this lesson on repression and its consequences, rather than discarding it once it escapes our immediate view.