Lübeck
Lübeck is the first place outside from Mallorca where Anonymous heroes was taking a concrete form, as part of Look on Lübeck, a project created by the german photographer Anja Doehring in collaboration with St. Anne Museum and the Günter Grass house in the city, which were trying to give an external artistic vision of the town through our project. The challenge in these case was to discover the place through the locals and the real life, and not any more as just a postcard or a touristic place, as Lübeck is usually considered in Germany. The discovery, finding so quickly the emotionality and the implication in all the stories, realizing the good functioning of the project.
Tilo's parents
"Our wish was fulfilled". Tilo's parents, in reference to Tilo's birth.
Tilo is one of the most important personalities working for culture in the city and everybody knows hi: he is a musician, organizes the famous slam poetry, takes part in the fair...he was a late child, and their parents were waiting a lot to have him She is Samira, an old school teacher and one of the most beloved women in the village, full of wisdom, energy, and irony. In the picture, she was dancing with her brother, who died young, but still remains so present in Samira's memories and dreams.
Olivia
"All the birds are already there". Traditional children's song.
Olivia is 12. She lives in the city centre, and she goes walking or biking everywhere. She is starting to be independent, to be rebel, to be free from parents approval. Because of that, the sentence we took from a child's song expresses that she already has all the birds inside, to start to fly.
Lia
"And I still don't know: Am I a falcon, an storm or a great song? “. Rainer Maria Rilke, writer.
Lia's daughter is in the picture. Lia is from Canada, and she always explains that what she likes most from Germany is when the kids go into the first day of school. They bring a big paper box with candies and small presents to give to the new classmates. For her that shows very good the german way of doing: cold at the beginning, but very welcoming if you take the time to know them better.
Mr. Reingangs
"I did not know that I would become an old man, and that the trees grow". Mr. Reingangs, anonymous hero from Lübeck
Mr. Reigangs is the owner of a optical shop in the city centre of the city. He is still going there every day, with a suit and a tie, and welcoming all the clients that appear from an armchair. When the sun appears in the northern city, he goes outside the shop, to say hi to the neighbours and asking for their families and friends..
Katja
"And the wonderful was me". Thomas Mann, writer.
Katja makes hats. She is a very shy person, and working with the hands has been a special moment for her. She has an small atelier filled with feathers and tissues. She had to fight a lot to reclaim her work, and to have the courage to do what she wanted and wear what she liked. But she did.
Renate
"It is the curiosity that pays attention to the curiosity". Hans Blumenberg, philosopher.
Renate is an old school teacher. She was too the director for a lot of years of one of the biggest schools in the city. So many people in Lübeck were their students. Then, she was teaching abroad too, in so many countries. She takes part in all the activities in the city, biking everywhere, swimming in the cold river...her energy is unstoppable
Denn Man tau!
I"Let's go! “. Plattdeutsch, typical expression.
Denn man tau is a very typical expression in plattdeutsch, the dialect they speak in the area. Thomas proposed this sentence, and too what for him is another very common image around: The kids learning how to have balance in a 2 wheels bike. The city of Lübeck has plenty of descents that are tones of fun for the kids.
Petra
"And still will remain a rest without saying". Günter Grass, writer.
Petra is a worker for the post office. She has been doing the same route for 30 years, in the centre of the city. She knows all the neighbours, and all the love stories around. She was so surprised and happy of being selected as one of the important characters by the neighbours that she started to cry
Christian
"There is not little wind that likes rain,
The larks are not awake yet". Emmanuel Geibel, poet.
Christian works in a small liquor store in the centre. Because of tourism, there are not so many options for shopping around and he has too bread, some vegetables, and newspapers. He goes there at 5 in the morning every day He is from turkish origins, as so many people in Germany. He is always very serious, but welcomes everybody with his discretion and good manners
Anja
I"They must be heroes-but in the silence-". Ida Boy-Ed, writer.
Anja is from the other part of Germany, München. She travelled the whole country, very young, pregnant, leaving behind a toxic relationship, and she decided to settle in Lübeck. There, she started a career in photography, she built a house, she created a bigger family. Now, she is one of Lübecks more beloved neighbours.
