Turns / Umbruche

Adopting an outsider’s perspective, Ann-Christine Jansson provides a unique account of East German and West German history. In her brilliantly conceived approach, the Berlin-based Swedish photographer conducts a closer inspection of upheavals in Germany’s recent past – taking both the East and West into account. The pictures in her immersive book capture key events from the 1980s, the fall of the Wall, and the subsequent radical changes in people’s lives. Jansson’s empathetic approach throws light on life in a divided Berlin, detailing the reactions to protests and resistance movements. The people who shaped these historical events are always at the heart of this book, with their feelings taking center stage. 2019 marked the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Wall and 70 years since Germany’s founding. In the backdrop of current debates surrounding Europe and the upsurge of right-wing populist movements, it is important to revisit the time before and after German reunification.

Text in English and German.