General News, 2nd Prize
Cross-Border Love
Roland Schmid
30 March, 2020
Josephina from Arbon in Switzerland and Josef from Singen am Hohentwiel in Germany have been a couple for 30 years. Now the lovers meet three times a week at the closed border between Kreuzlingen, in Switzerland, and Konstanz in Germany to at least be able to see each other.
Switzerland closed its borders for the first time since the Second World War, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. In towns like Riehen and Kreuzlingen, citizens had barely noticed the borders with Germany for decades, and had crossed freely. The closure lasted from 16 March to 15 June. Barrier tapes indicated boundaries that should not be crossed, retracing borders that had been reinforced with barbed wire during the war. In some places, these barriers became meeting places for people who were no longer allowed to be together. Despite regulations to restrict movement and socializing, many individuals found inventive ways to see their loved ones.
Roland Schmid
Roland Schmid (1966) is a freelance photographer represented by 13Photo in Zurich, Switzerland. He received a photographic education with Hugo Jaeggi and currently works for n...
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