...suddenly there is silence – refugees in rural Germany

Shells detonating in Damascus and Aleppo. Vice squads shouting in Iran. Rockets attacking the Taliban next door. And waves lashing against the dinghy on the open sea. Most of the 300 refugees who have arrived in the German village of Wadersloh remember those sounds of terror, war and escape all too well. In the countryside they suddenly experience soothing silence. But at the same time their lives come to a standstill.

The exhibition starts on April 20, 2016 in Wadersloh. All online and offline publication was carefully discussed and agreed on with the refugees. Please understand that some stories and details are missing in order to protect familiy members in the respective home countries.

GERMAN VERSION >>

18. April 2016

Hummus and apple pie

part of the photo exhibition “…und plötzlich diese Stille” (…suddenly there is silence), on display in the townhall of Wadersloh, Germany, as of April 20, 2016 >>

When the air raid warning went off, Samer* und Gazi* ran for their lives before bombs transformed their neighborhood into a landscape of rubble. Today father and son live in rural Liesborn-Göttingen and fear for their family whom they had to leave back in Syria.

17. April 2016

The Taliban on their heels

part of the photo exhibition “…und plötzlich diese Stille” (…suddenly there is silence), on display in the townhall of Wadersloh, Germany, as of April 20, 2016 >>

In Germany, Kainat can finally go back to school. Her family fled from a remote Pashtun village still ruled by the Taliban, who forbid her to leave the house. In rural Westphalia, the eleven of them easily make friends as they are all avid football players. All of them except one-year-old Sana who prefers sitting on the ball to kicking it.

16. April 2016

Frantic with worry – why so many men escape without their family

part of the exhibition “…and suddenly there is silence”, on display in the townhall of Wadersloh, Germany, as of April 20, 2016 >>

Sulyman is angry. Angry with himself, because he cannot do anything but “sleep, eat, drink” – in a house with 40 other worrisome men. And he is angry with the authorities. Six months have passed since his application for asylum; six months, in which his wife and small children have persevered between the front lines waiting for a family reunification visa. What, if the Syrian war is faster than the German authorities?

15. April 2016

First times – Iranians in a German village

part of the photo exhibition “…und plötzlich diese Stille” (…suddenly there is silence), on display in the townhall of Wadersloh, Germany, as of April 20, 2016 >>

Farkhondeh*, Kurosh and their two daughters were betrayed. While they were on vacation, the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution broke into her house in Tehran and found figures of angels and crosses. Evidence. As Christians, they would have been immediately arrested upon entry. A smuggling truck was their salvation – but first, it was nearly their end.

14. April 2016

“Too safe to die, too poor to live”

part of the photo exhibition “…und plötzlich diese Stille” (…suddenly there is silence), on display in the townhall of Wadersloh, Germany, as of April 20, 2016 >>

Marjeta and her friends aren’t refugees and yet they applied for asylum because they can not apply for a visa. They come from a so-called safe country of origin”, Albania, and might be deported anytime. To rid her family of hospital debts, they need to earn money in Germany. A local company wants to employ them, but their work permit is still pending.