Exploring the Rotten Side of Germany
You might say I'm a collector. I collect rare objects. Facts, stories...I travel the roads of Germany seeking its heart.
Featured Photo
“Fire, water, and government know nothing of
mercy.” - Photo by Jan Bommes
"There are rare moments when a location that has fallen victim to fire has actually gained in therms of 'photographic attactiveness'. Mostly due to smoke and water mixing and generating some of the most beautiful decay that you can find. Moss and mold make a nice green color and the smoke on everything kind of dampens the colors and swallows some of the light entering the rooms."
Galleries
Hotel on the Island
There is no information regarding this abandoned hotel that is located on an East German island.
Architecture, the remaining furniture and documents suggest that it was built in the 1970s and probably used by the FDGB as a recreation home.
In the 1990s, attempts were made to continue the use as a hotel, but those apparently failed.....(more)
Recreation Home L.
This abandoned recreation home was a so-called "central pioneer camp". These camps were operated by the East German youth organization (FDJ).
For the young students and teens vacations here were used as an award for achievents in school or social services. Every one of these camps had a large company as provider. In this case, it was a large fishing company. The camp was named after a communist politician and had room for about 800 children.
Although from a Western perspective the political purpose or even suspected indoctrination of these camps seems strange, there are many reports in which children describe their time in this....(more)
Blog
Tour Report: Soviet Airfield S.
Published 2017-08-07
It's no secret that I am really a fan of the Soviet relics you can find in Eastern Germany, so whenever I get the chance, I have to check them out. My wife isn't too much into all the military stuff, but she is fond of a nice walk in the park, so to speak, so when the opportunity arose for a quick stop at this abandoned Soviet airfield on the way up North towards the end of last years summer vacation, of course we took it.
The weather was great, but as a lot of times in these locations, parking was a bit of a problem. There were no regular parking places, so we just parked in an industrial area near a junkyard and a dog training area. There were a bunch of obscure-looking people around, but the attraction of the airfield was bigger than our desire....(more)
Urbex Feeds
Feeds from various Urbex Pages
Urban Ghosts Media
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The Ruined Beauty of Mogadishu Lighthouse (Mon, 14 Aug 2017)
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Atlas Obscura - Latest Places
Bemelmans Bar in New York, New York (Sat, 19 Aug 2017)
In a bar in Manhattan that is covered in art, lives the last public place Ludwig Bemelmans' whimsy plays a big part.
The story of the feisty literary heroine Madeline begins in Paris, but the girl with the red hair and big yellow hat travels all around the world in the books written and illustrated by Ludwig
Bemelmans. Much like his most famous character, Bemelmans’ life began in Europe, in the Austrian Tirol, but he emigrated to the United States when he was nearly 20 years old. After working in the hotel industry and serving in the army, he began writing and illustrating books for children. He found huge
success with his Madeline series, the first book of which came out in 1939.
He went on to write five books about the spunky seven-year-old and her adventures, and also produced popular artwork for publications like The New Yorker and Vogue. In the
1940s, Bemelmans took on a commission that combined two of his passions: hotels and painting. He was contracted to decorate the new bar that was built in The Carlyle, a luxury hotel in
Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
For this, he was paid not in cash, but received free board for himself and his family for a year and a half, the duration it took for the wall murals to be completed.
The dull yellow of the walls is enlivened by elephants, rabbits, and other animals frolicking around Central Park, all painted in Bemelmans’ trademark style. Madeline and her friends can also be
spotted, alongside other typical park scenes like dogs sprinting with their owners and nurses taking babies for a stroll. The simplicity of the wall art is contrasted by the more luxurious Art
Deco interiors of the bar. The ceilings are coated in gold leaf and leather banquettes line the walls, placed near glass-top tables.
The whimsical artwork adds to the New York City piano bar’s quiet appeal and it is the only remaining place where
Bemelmans' work that is open to the public. It's all there is, and there isn't anymore.
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