Report »Fremdenzimmer«

Own publication for political reasons

When we get to know a stranger, we discover a person. A person who feels, hopes, dreams and has an individual past. The volume »Fremdenzimmer«, which we developed together with the author Wilhelm Warning in 2015, is also about humanity. The aim was to tell the stories of the people behind the anonymous word »refugee«. We portrayed 16 men from different regions of Syria. They include city dwellers, farmers and students – all with different religious backgrounds. They speak different dialects, have cultivated very different traditions and led very different lives. Until the war. Warning conducted interviews with the people portrayed in three languages. A team of editors worked closely with him on the texts. We commissioned photographer Enno Kapitza to take the portraits. This was not an easy task for him, as many of the men were afraid. However, they all agreed to be photographed. At least from behind. The moving publication was published by Sieveking Verlag.