2015 半田俊夫の日米エッセー:「長崎・焼き場に立つ少年」
「長崎・焼き場に立つ少年」
この文章は、2015年8月9日のロサンゼルスの日本語新聞・羅府新報に掲載されました。
by パサデナ市 半田俊夫
(English version follows below.)
この写真は見た人も多いと思う。僕が初めて見たのはもう20年以上も昔、多分90年代初頭だったか、昔で場所は思い出せないが米国内の何処かの写真展で見て、その時はその場に立ち尽くしてしまった。
1945年8月6日の広島に次いで9日長崎に原爆が落とされて間もなくの9月、廃墟の長崎で写されたもの。少年は原爆で死んだ幼い弟を背負い、火葬の順番を待ち、裸足の踵をきっちり付けて指先までピンと揃えて起立の姿勢で、必死に歯を食いしばって立っている。
僕は目を奪われ、その内に涙が滲み出た。色々な思いが僕を襲った。周りで米国人の目が僕に向いている様子だったが気にしなかった。
写真を写した米軍カメラマンの説明付きだった。撮ったのは当時、米空爆調査団のカメラマンとして広島、長崎を回ったジョー・オダネル海軍軍曹。日本人を撮るな、との軍令に反して自己のカメラでそっと撮ったという。同カメラマンは当時23才の若者だった。彼は少年を抱きしめてやりたいと思ったが、そうするとぐっとこらえている少年の強い心が崩れそうに思い、出来なかったそうだ。 彼はその後この少年を探し出して再会したいと望んでいたが遂に果たせず、少年のその後は生死も分らないとの事だった。
その後、写真を米国の自宅に持ち帰り屋根裏部屋にずっと封印した。しかし45年後、辛い思いが募り行動しようと写真を公開、以来原爆反対の行動を一人で始める。米国内では批判を浴び孤立無援だったが行動を貫いた。息子も立ち上がった。2007年に奇しくも原爆投下の8月9日に85歳で他界している。原爆病とされる。彼の意思は息子が継いだ。生前の彼も息子も繰り返し日本を訪問している。
現在写真は長崎原爆資料館にも展示されている。これも僕は昨年長崎を訪れ、資料館で深い思いで長い時間をかけて見て来た。出口が来ても何とも立ち去り難かった。
以下、オダネル氏がこの写真を撮った時の回想インタビュー日本語版から引用する。
(引用)『 佐世保から長崎に入った私は、小高い丘の上から下を眺めていた。すると白いマスクをかけた男達が目に入った。男達は60センチ程の深さにえぐった穴のそばで作業をしてた。荷車に山積みにした死体を石灰の燃える穴の中に次々と入れていた。
10歳ぐらいの少年が歩いてくるのが目に留まった。おんぶひもをたすきにかけて、幼子を背中に背負っている。弟や妹をおんぶしたまま、広っぱで遊んでいる子供の姿は当時の日本でよく目にする光景だった。しかし、この少年の様子ははっきりと違っている。重大な目的を持ってこの焼き場にやってきたという強い意志が感じられた。しかも裸足だ。少年は焼き場のふちまで来ると、硬い表情で目を凝らして立ち尽くしている。背中の赤ん坊はぐっすり眠っているのか、首を後ろにのけぞらせたままだ。
少年は焼き場のふちに、5分か10分も立っていただろうか。白いマスクの男達がおもむろに近づき、ゆっくりとおんぶひもを解き始めた。この時私は、背中の幼子が既に死んでいる事に初めて気付いた。男達は幼子の手と足を持つとゆっくりと葬るように、焼き場の熱い灰の上に横たえた。
まず幼い肉体が火に溶けるジューという音がした。それからまばゆい程の炎がさっと舞い立った。真っ赤な夕日のような炎は、直立不動の少年のまだあどけない頬を赤く照らした。その時だった、炎を食い入るように見つめる少年の唇に血がにじんでいるのに気が付いたのは。少年があまりきつく噛み締めている為、唇の血は流れる事もなく、ただ少年の下唇に赤くにじんでいた。夕日のような炎が静まると、少年はくるりときびすを返し、沈黙のまま焼き場を去っていった 』(引用終り)
一枚の写真が心を揺さぶる力は強力だ。伝わるものも明白だ。非戦闘員である一般市民、老若男女を無差別に大量殺戮した原爆投下には言いたいことは沢山ある。それを置いても人類の一員としても思う。人類はこのような残酷を行う。人類には平和教育が如何に必要か。戦争は無数の悲劇と残酷と狂気を生み出す。罪の無い人々を無数に犠牲にする。原爆も絨毯爆撃も殺戮もいけない。戦争を繰り返してはならない。2年前には広島についても書かせて頂いた。原爆投下から70年、人類として、この写真も思い起こして行きたい。
<半田俊夫>
*半田俊夫=東京出身。パサデナ市在住。在米約40年。元航空業界商社経営。以下の諸ボランティア活動を行う:羅府新報の随筆「磁針」欄に毎月執筆。日刊サン・ポエムタウン欄の川柳選者。パサデナ・セミナー会主宰。命の電話友の会、茶道裏千家淡交会OC協会などで会長としてボランティア活動。他に南加日系商工会議所、南加県人会協議会、日米文化会館、小東京評議会、米国書道研究会などの理事でボランティア活動中。南加日商と日系パイオニアセンターの元会頭。
(English Version)
NAGASAKI – Young boy standing in line at a cremation pit.
(Rafu Shimpo article published on August 4, 2016)
By Toshio Handa, Pasadena
This is a photo many might have seen before. The first time I saw this photo was more than twenty years ago, probably in the early 1990’s, can’t recall where, but it was at a photo exhibit where I remember I stood riveted there at the viewing.
The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on the 6th of August, 1945 and a few days later on the 9th the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki after which this photo was taken. This young boy, with his dead brother strapped on his back standing erectly, feet placed together, with a grim determined expression was waiting in line at an open cremation pit. In viewing this photo which absorbed me, my eyes soon welled up with tears. It brought back many memories of the past. I managed to ignore the Americans who were looking at me.
However, I was touched by the explanation of Marine Sergeant Joe O’Donnell who was assigned to photograph the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with instructions not to photograph the people. He, knowing the instructions, photographed this boy with his private camera. Joe O’Donnell was a 23 year old young man. He felt like hugging the boy but held back his feelings for fear that he would destroy the boy’s determined intentions and was unable to do it. Later his hope to meet him again never happened but he continued to wonder if the boy survived or passed away.
He returned home with the photos where they remained sealed in his attic. Making up his mind, however, to deal with latent bitter memories, he made public the photograph, and 45 years later began a one man anti-nuclear war protest. In America one can bask in criticism but it was a lonely isolated and unsupported task which he was able to overcome. His son rose to the occasion in support. In 2007 ironically, on August 9, the date of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, he passed away to the other world. During his able years, he and his son made repeated visits to Japan.
This photograph is presently on display at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. Last year, I visited Nagasaki to re-live my deep memories of the past and spent an inordinate amount of time with the photograph at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. As I approached the exit of the exhibit it was difficult to make my final departure.
The following is a quotation from a Japanese interview of Joe O’Donnell regarding his recollection of the time he took the photograph:
” (Quote) From Sasebo I entered Nagasaki, found myself on a small hill overlooking the city. Men with white masks came into view. They were working nearby a dug out pit about 60 cm deep (appx. 20”). The men were placing in the coal burning pit the dead bodies taken from the pile on the hand drawn wagon.
I noticed a young boy, about 10 years old falling into the line which was being formed. He had what looked like a baby strapped to his back. This was a common Japanese scenario of the pre war years when young children often carried baby brothers and sisters while they engaged in play in the open fields. But the mood and appearance of this boy was quite different. One sensed in his determined demeanor that he was at the fire pit for an important purpose. Moreover he was bare footed. As the young boy moved closer to the edge of the burning pit, his eyes focused in concentrated expression he stood this way by utilizing all of his remaining energy. Was the little boy strapped to his back sleeping as his head remained permanently in a lean back position.
He stood at the edge of the burning pit for 5 to 10 minutes. The masked men slowly approached him, carefully began to remove the fabric strap. At this moment, I realized for the first time that the young baby on his back was actually dead. The men took the hand and the feet of the baby and gently placed it across the burning coals in the pit.
First of all, a melting sound “ju-u-u” was heard when the young body was placed in the fire. Then a blinding flame immediately whirled up. A flame like a brilliant sunset red was cast on the cheeks of an innocent young boy standing erect at attention. It was at this moment that I mistakenly thought that his lips which appeared to reflect the redness of the flame were actually bleeding. However, due to the young boy’s gritting of teeth, his lower lip had turn red, there was no bleeding. Aa flames come down like the setting of the sun, the young boy turned around and silently left the cremation pit. (End of quote) ”
The ability of one photograph to move emotions is amazing. The message is very clear.
There is much I would want to say about the indiscriminate dropping of an atomic bomb, without concern of the young and old, men and women townspeople who basically would have been anti war, which resulted in a massive human slaughter. However, as one human being, I should like to share my personal thoughts. Man’s continual conduct of wars produce only countless forms of tragedy, brutality and madness; there is a great need for Peace Education for mankind. Wars sacrifice the lives of the innocent populace; atomic bombing, carpet bombing, mass slaughtering must be stopped and must not be repeated.
Two years ago, I made a contribution to Rafu Shimpo about Hiroshima too. Seventy years ago the atomic bombs were dropped in Japan, and today I want to continue to recall this photograph.
Translation by Yoshio Nishimoto, July 8, 2016