Poland, the three Baltic states, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova… the history of Eastern Europe is also a long history of nations striving for independence, as well as of continued efforts on the part of empires to subjugate them—a fact painfully evoked by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. For centuries, this region of overlapping imperial interests was the heartland of Europe’s Jewry.
Although subject to repeated persecution, the Jewish communities in this region were key contributors to the development of Eastern Europe and beyond, until Germany’s invasion during World War II lead to their almost complete annihilation. However, traces of Jewish life remain visible to this day and since the collapse of the Soviet Union, an open conversation on their existence has again been possible.
Based in Cologne, Germany, photographer and blogger Christian Herrmann has travelled extensively in search of these traces. What he found was overgrown cemeteries, destroyed or misappropriated synagogues, and mezuzah traces on doorframes. Yet he also found signs that the Jewish legacy is gradually acquiring its rightful place in the new national narratives across the region. In 2020, Christian Herrmann was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his work.

Places represented in the book:

Belarus (20 places, 27 photos): Ashmyany (1), Baranavichy (1), Brest (2), Butkovichi (1), Delyatichi (1), Diatlovo (1), Ivyanets (1), Iwye (1), Kletsk (2), Kobryn (1), Liubcha (1), Lyakhavichy (1), Mir (2), Navahrudak (1), Pruschany (1), Rakaw (2), Razhanka (1), Ruzhany (1), Slonim (3), Vselyub (2)

Lithuania (20 places, 34 photos): Anykščiai (1), Balbieriškis (1), Biržai (2), Butrimonys (2), Jonava (1), Joniškis (1), Kaltinėnai (1), Kaunas (2), Kupiškis (1), Kurkliai (1), Lygumai (1), Merkinė (1), Moletai (2), Moluvėnai (1), Pušalotas (1), Rietavas (1)
Skaudvilė (1), Varėna (1), Vilnius (5), Žagarė (7)

Poland (4 places, 8 photos): Góra Kalwaria (1), Kraków (2), Otwock (1), Warsaw (4)

Republic of Moldova (9 places, 17 photos): Bălţi (2), Briceni (2), Chişinău (6), Făleşti (1), Floreşti (1), Lipcani (1), Orhei (1), Ribniţa (2), Tirgul Vertiujeni (1)

Romania (2 places, 2 photos): Bucecea (1), Rădăuţi (1)

Ukraine (39 places, 75 photos): Belz (1), Berehove (1), Berezhany (1), Bolekhiv (1), Brody (3), Buchach (2), Busk (1), Chernivtsi (2), Chernivtsi (Podolia) (7), Chortkiv (2), Dubno (1), Husiatyn (3), Khotyn (3), Kolomyia (2), Kopychyntsi (1), Kremenets (1), Lviv (10), Mohyliv-Podilskyi (1), Ostroh (1), Ozeryany (1), Pidhaitsi (3), Pomoriany (1), Probizhna (1), Radekhiv (1), Rakhiv (1), Rohatyn (1), Rozdil (1), Rozhniativ (1), Sharhorod (2), Skala-Podilska (6), Skalat (2), Toporiv (1), Turka (1), Vyshnivets (3), Vyzhnytsia (2), Zalishchyky (1), Zhytomyr (1), Zolotyi Potik (1)

Christian Herrmann
Grenzland | Borderlands
Jüdische Spuren im Osten Europas | Jewish Traces in the East of Europe
Lukas Verlag für Kunst- und Geistesgeschichte
220 pages, 162 full colour photos + a 36 pages booklet with notes and explanations
Text in German and English
300 x 230 mm
Hardcover
Forewords by Samuel D. Gruber and Rolf Sachsse, afterword by the author
Design: Ania Nałęcka-Milach / Tapir Book Design
To be published in May 2023
ISBN 978-3-86732-425-0
40,– €

Preorder from the publisher: https://www.lukasverlag.com/programm/titel/619-grenzland-borderlands.html

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