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Ardean R. Miller

The U.S. Army military photographer specialised in large colour photographs. He later describes the assignment to photograph the liberated Buchenwald concentration camp as the worst of his career. According to his wife Norma, he rarely speaks about his impressions, and when he does, it is "with incredulous horror". (From: Digital photo exhibition "Black on White")

You can see liberated prisoners walking in small groups or individually along the camp street. To the right and left of the camp road, the one-story wooden prisoner barracks can be seen. On the left side, the stone barracks tower above them in the background.
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Liberated prisoners on camp road, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III. ©National Archives, Washington
On the left is a group of American soldiers watching the demonstration. In the center of the picture, a former prisoner stands in front of a doll in prisoner's clothing hung on a wall hook and makes an explanatory gesture. On the right, another former prisoner is speaking to the American soldiers.
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Former inmates explain strangulation in the crematorium's execution basement, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III. © Public domain
Two American soldiers in front of a trailer with corpses in the courtyard of the crematorium. In the background a liberated prisoner
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Two American soldiers in front of a trailer of bodies in the crematorium courtyard, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III. ©National Archives, Washington
Emaciated liberated prisoners of the Small Camp talking to American soldiers. An emaciated shirtless former prisoner looks directly into the camera.
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Emaciated liberated prisoners of Little Camp talking with American soldiers, April 18, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III, U.S. Signal Corps. ©National Archives, Washington © Public domain
Prisoner with a food bowl in front of Block 55 in the Small Camp.
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Liberated prisoner with a food bowl in front of Block 55 in Little Camp, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III. © National Archives, Washington
A prisoner of Buchenwald concentration camp holds a human bone while standing in front of a pile of bones shoveled from a crematorium.
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Liberated prisoner in front of a pile of bones in the crematorium courtyard, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III. ©National Archives, Washington
2 former prisoners dressed only in a long shirt and standing at the barbed wire fence of the small camp. One of the men stands behind the other and looks over his shoulder. Both prisoners are barefoot. In the background, other former prisoners are sitting on the ground.
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Two liberated prisoners stand in rags by the Little Camp fence, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III. ©Public domain
View from the gate building over the camp. Liberated prisoners and US soldiers are standing on the roll call square. The chamber building is in the far right background.
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View from the gate building over the camp, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller III. ©National Archives, Washington
A man in civilian clothes who has taken off his hat in a respectful gesture and holds it behind him. He looks at a pile of emaciated corpses lying in front of him.
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Mound of corpses in crematorium courtyard, 1945. Photo: Ardean R. Miller III ©Public Domain
US soldiers in front of the camp gate. SS ammunition boxes can be seen in the right foreground. On the gate building the black flag on the occasion of the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the USA. Roosevelt, President of the USA.
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US soldiers in front of the camp gate. On the gate building the black flag on the occasion of the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States. 18 April 1945. Photo: Ardean R. Miller III, U.S. Army Signal Corps. ©Public domain
US soldiers and former prisoners in front of a truck trailer loaded with corpses in the courtyard of the crematorium. In the background, the SS Zoological Garden.
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U.S. soldiers and former prisoners in front of a truck trailer loaded with bodies in the crematory courtyard, April 18, 1945. Photo by Ardean R. Miller, U.S. Signal Corps. ©National Archives Washington © Public domain
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