During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, King Leopold II of Belgium ruled over the Congo Free State as his personal colony. Under his exploitative regime, the Congolese people suffered immensely. King Leopold's primary motive was to extract as much wealth as possible from the Congo, particularly through the production of rubber.
To enforce his control and maximize profits, King Leopold imposed a reign of terror on the Congolese population. This photo mentioned captures a grim aspect of the brutality. Congolese individuals who failed to meet the demanding rubber production quotas set by the Belgian administration were subjected to severe punishment.
Thousands of Congolese were subjected to executions, including public hangings, or had their hands amputated as a means of punishment. These cruel acts were carried out as a deterrent and as a means of maintaining control over the local population. The atrocities committed during this period have been well-documented and are considered one of the darkest chapters in colonial history.
In the photo, a child victim of these Belgian atrocities in the Congo is depicted alongside a missionary. Missionaries played a complex role during this time, as some were complicit in the exploitative system, while others may have provided some level of humanitarian assistance. The image serves as a haunting reminder of the profound suffering endured by the Congolese people under King Leopold's oppressive regime.
100 movies that you will greatly appreciate.
1. The Godfather (1972)
2. Schindler's List (1993)
3. Pulp Fiction (1994)
4. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
5. Casablanca (1942)
6. 12 Angry Men (1957)
7. The Dark Knight (2008)
8. Citizen Kane (1941)
9. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
10. Fight Club (1999)
11. The Godfather Part II (1974)
12. Forrest Gump (1994)
13. Goodfellas (1990)
14. The Departed (2006)
15. Gladiator (2000)
16. Taxi Driver (1976)
17. The Matrix (1999)
18. The Shining (1980)
19. Apocalypse Now (1979)
20. The Usual Suspects (1995)
21. Braveheart (1995)
22. Rear Window (1954)
23. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
24. The Green Mile (1999)
25. Inception (2010)
26. Seven Samurai (1954)
27. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
28. The Deer Hunter (1978)
29. Amadeus (1984)
30. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
31. No Country for Old Men (2007)
32. The Prestige (2006)
33. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
34. Memento (2000)
35. The Great Dictator (1940)
36. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
37. The Social Network (2010)
38. The Godfather Part III (1990)
39. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
40. City of God (2002)
41. American History X (1998)
42. The Pianist (2002)
43. The Big Lebowski (1998)
44. Das Boot (1981)
45. Oldboy (2003)
46. Heat (1995)
47. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
48. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
49. Gran Torino (2008)
50. Scarface (1983)
51. Raging Bull (1980)
52. The Seventh Seal (1957)
53. The Lives of Others (2006)
54. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
55. The Elephant Man (1980)
56. Fargo (1996)
57. The Sting (1973)
58. The Hunt (2012)
59. Blade Runner (1982)
60. The Graduate (1967)
61. Trainspotting (1996)
62. The Exorcist (1973)
63. Amour (2012)
64. There Will Be Blood (2007)
65. 8½ (1963)
66. Chinatown (1974)
67. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
68. The Apartment (1960)
69. The French Connection (1971)
70. La La Land (2016)
71. The Artist (2011)
72. The King's Speech (2010)
73. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
74. Her (2013)
75. Whiplash (2014)
76. Lost in Translation (2003)
77. Spotlight (2015)
78. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
79. The Revenant (2015)
80. Black Swan (2010)
81. Birdman (2014)
82. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
83. The Wrestler (2008)
84. Mystic River (2003)
85. Capote (2005)
86. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
87. The Shape of Water (2017)
88. Moonlight (2016)
89. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
90. Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
91. Arrival (2016)
92. The Tree of Life (2011)
93. Drive (2011)
94. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
95. The Hurt Locker (2008)
96. The Imitation Game (2014)
97. Room (2015)
98. Manchester by the Sea (2016)
99. Spotlight (2015)
100. Boyhood (2014)