“Everyone seemed to feel connected to the place and responsible for it, to be acting in tacit consensus and always working to save the diversity of their island from the sea of gray for as long as possible” – Harf Zimmermann
The story began when Harf Zimmermann moved to Hufelandstrasse, East Berlin. Hufelandstrasse was a bustling street in the bosom of communist East Germany. Zimmermann decided to take photographs of the city life on this street. He took photographs pretty much every day for over one year. His large-format camera had captured such beautiful photos that we even can use the scientific evidence for n research or something like that.
Harf Zimmermann’s works and efforts are absolutely worthy of commendation. He was inspired by a famous project “East 100th Street” by an American photographer, Bruce Davidson. Zimmermann’s “Hufelandstrasse, 1055 Berlin” is a book consisting of black and white photographs taken on Hufelandstrasse street back in the 1980s when Zimmermann lived there and photographs of the same area from today. So, looking at this book, we can see how it changed since then as it is a documentary.
Frau Töpfer with her grandson René.
Tomi, Silvy , Manuela, her sister Trixi, Uwe, and Tatjana, (from left). C/O Berlin Exhibition 2017 April 28th to July 2n
Two painters from the cooperative “Decorative Construction and Living” finish painting the stairway entrance to my building, No. 31, 1987
Galow’s snack bar, Mr. and Mrs. Galow in the middle, their son on the right, No. 31, 1986
The Schramm family, father, mother, and son, and their employee (second from left) in front of their fruit and vegetable shop, No. 3, 1986.
Günter (pantomime performer) and a private parade for a child’s birthday, 1987.
Phonology
Hufelandstrasse and Bötzowstrasse
HO (State-owned “Trade Organization”) butcher, “Game Poultry”, No. 10, 1987.
Herr and Frau Fleischer in their engagement outfits with their dog Putzi.
Rocky and a 1936 Mercedes.
Frau Baer (center) with her daughter, her grandchild, and her daughter’s partner on the thirty-eighth anniversary of the founding of the GDR.
Frau and Herr Dressle
Two students in the eighth grade, 1986.
Student nicknamed “Student.”
“Berliner Blumen” staff
Beate (freelancer) with her daughter Henriette, her partner Matthias (freelancer) with his son Gregor, and their daughter Lilly.
Ingeborg, her son Lothar, her grandson Guido and their grandmother.
Margot Schulz, retiree, with three of her 14 children.
Buy the book Hufelandstrasse, 1055 Berlin, published by Steidl.
