The Magazine for Leica M Photography

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09/21/2014, Atterwasch is already experiencing the effects of energy transformation; but in its case, the village has to give way to brown coal, the traditional energy source, to be further developed in the area. According to the energy company, brown coal should be supported so that it can help cover Berlin's electricity needs in the future. Is that sustainable and just?

Born in 1979, the Italian photographer Marco del Pra’ and his Leica M spent a year with the inhabitants of the village of Atterwasch. In ten to fifteen years nothing will remain of this community located on the border with Poland: coal diggers are already ploughing the area, the relocation of the inhabitants is in full swing, and mining brown coal in the region has been a fait accompli since 2007. Del Pra documented life there in haunting black and white photos, which he has enriched with creative elements as part of a multimedia documentation.

Further information at www.atterwasch.net and www.arte.tv