After my cherished Leica camera, M10 had to be returned to the factory due to some problems, I received it again after nearly 2 months. I was relieved to have it back in my possession.

I appreciate working with my new Canon R3, but the Leica brought me back to my enthusiasm for photography, and it will always have a special place in my camera work.

When my job was done, I jumped into the woods on the Belgian-Dutch border with my cherished four-legged companion.
After a lengthy time of grey, the sun showed its strength, indicating that spring had arrived in the nation. Everyone, I believe, is looking forward to seeing plants develop and hues emerge in the green world.

This site was very renowned during the time of war, and it appears that the forest is currently in rebuilding mode.

The wire:

It will be difficult to imagine that an “iron curtain” existed in the region only a century ago.

Mol’s position as a boundary town with the Netherlands (which was not engaged in the war) was of particular importance from 1914-1918. Since the start of the conflict, there has been illegal transportation of
products and people from and to “Holland,” among other places. recruits to join the Belgian army, labour refusers to the German invader, exiles, traffickers, and informants.

All communication from and to Belgian troops at the front had to follow this path: messages were “passed” across the border to the Netherlands, then to England via Vlissingen, and then to the Yser front. Mol was the town par excellence for transporting letters and persons in concealment across the border due to its position. Close to the border, with large woods and heaths, at the intersection of two canals (Sas 4), and with a tenacious anti-German people with an active Kempen national character.

People were “done over” since the commencement of the conflict. They “carried” across the waterway with a raft, which was frequently just a wooden farm gate. However, border control became more stringent: the waterway and the stretch at Sas 3 were lit up at night with floodlights. Military control became extremely strict, and plans to construct an electrical high-voltage wire that would shut the complete boundary with the Netherlands became concrete.

2000 volts …
The barrier was made up of three parallel wire barriers separated by two meters, the two exterior ones made of five or six barbed wires, and the centre wire barrier fueled by 1500 to 2000 volts alternating current. This “wire of death” could reach up to 2 metres in height and was made up of 5 to 10 copper wires attached to posts 30 centimetres apart via white porcelain insulators. Every 50 meters, power was delivered to the barrier from a higher mast. On the Belgian side, there was a surveillance route. Every 1000 meters, a wooden watch house with signal lanterns and floodlights was constructed.

As shown in the pictures.

Walking through this neighbourhood always gives me chills, and not in a good manner. And I’m experiencing a dual sensation right now.

Without a doubt, lives have been lost as a result of this cable, and it is terrible that people will continue to harm one another in this way. This process will continue to replicate for many years to come.

Many trees are being felled in that same forest right now, and their lives are coming to an end. I’m not sure why, but they always say that there are very smart people in the upper management of a nature reserve in Belgium who work very hard to keep the green land in its best shape.

But it hurts when I see many acres of forest being chopped down brutally. As evidenced by the photographs below.

Because of the permit, I am unable to stroll my canine in the bush without a leash. However, the entire forest has been destroyed by bulldozers. In this region, I photographed lovely deer and saw wild boars passing by.

It is now a large open region devoid of animals. It is deafeningly quiet…
The birds had to go to other branches to find a branch to rest on.
I heard that environment needed to be restored to return to heather regions. So it signifies open areas as far as the eye can see.

I sincerely hope that all of the animals can find a decent new home.

It is excruciatingly painful because everyone deserves a decent environment and a comfortable house. Even if it’s a beast. Finally, it is known as the cycle of existence…

Thank you,