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lutherland

my project "lutherland" will be presented during the photofestival in Arles from 3.7.-28.7.2022

 

In 1517, exactly 500 years ago, Martin Luther shook the power of the Catholic Church with his 95 theses. His appearance triggered fundamental changes in the Christian faith. The Reformation is not only characterized by the coexistence of ecclesiastical communities but also by everyday life in many parts of Germany, Europe and other parts of the world. The region of Central Germany was the starting point of this movement, but many churches still play a role in religion. In “Lutherland” church buildings are empty, the number of church exits is going down . At the same time, right-wing populist and anti-foreigner groupings are experiencing a lively response, which is claimed to be a “Christian-Jewish West”. Against this backdrop, I traveled since October 2015 through the core land of the Reformation, but also through other regions of Germany. In my search for the presence of Protestantism I encountered people and landscapes in which the ideas of Luther were alive. My photographs show snapshots of a practiced and lived faith. They hold down situations of inwardness and contemplation as well as those of community and solidarity. The photographic project invites us to reflect on the religious roots of central values ​​on which the cohesion of our society is based.