Manila - October 1897



Every picture tells a story: The city was adorned with triumphal arches celebrating the glory of the Spanish crown and the army. But no conquering Caesar was riding a chariot. What was seen instead was a bunch of young Spanish lads squeezed out of the depleting manpower of the empire. The needed reinforcement long-awaited by the loyal subjects of Spain had finally arrived.

Thousands of miles away, from her last dominion in the Caribbean, upheavals, and revolutions were raging. In Spain itself, agitation heightens each day as different political groups wrestle for attention: The liberals, the conservatives, and the anarchists.

Manila was under Martial Law since August of '96. The fresh troops gave the city a false sense of security. Soon these soldiers would be put into action, to hunt down the revolutionaries in the forest, in the marshes and in the countrysides outside of Manila.

Every picture tells a story: A man watches as troops cross the "Puente de España'', with the arches standing mightily above them. Two elderly women sit in a casco, looking unmindful of the passing scene. The Pasig River seems to be flowing, though the picture froze it to that distinct time, eternal halt.

Wondering what is with the man? The thoughts of an empire in the twilight.? Dämmerung

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