The Wounded Soldier 2

The Wounded Soldier 2 Pastel on Paper, 10″ X 9.75″

Combat soldiers have a very special relationship to one another. They are brothers. They look out for and feel responsible for each other. A combat soldier would give his life to save a combat brother. Very often they maintain ties and look after a fallen brother’s family. This is sometimes difficult for non-combatants to understand. I do, however, know and understand this. I love them all the more, those I know and those I do not, for their readiness to give their life for a brother. They are all my children whom I wish to protect, to hug to keep safe.

Ednah Sarah Schwartz, a Jewish Israeli artist from Kibbutz Kfar Blum, captures the profound bonds formed among combat soldiers in her artwork. She poignantly expresses the unique relationship these soldiers share, likening it to brotherhood—where loyalty and sacrifice are paramount. Schwartz reflects on their willingness to protect one another, often to the point of giving their lives, and emphasizes the emotional weight of these connections. She recognizes that while non-combatants may struggle to grasp this intensity, her love and admiration for these soldiers only deepens, regardless of whether she knows them personally. In her eyes, they are all like children she wishes to safeguard and embrace, highlighting a universal longing for protection and compassion amidst the complexities of military life.