OSTKREUZ – Agency of Photographers
Reframing East German Identity, Memory, and the Politics of Display
Summary
"Pfautsch's book offers an engaging and much-needed analysis of the history and development of Ostkreuz. Her study provides fresh perspectives on the role of photography as a substitute public sphere, the concept of author photography, and the 'othering' of the East. Most importantly, it writes Ostkreuz into German art history, challenging established hierarchies between East and West, and demonstrating the complexities of negotiating collective identities in post-unification Germany."
– Prof. Anna Saunders Chair of German, University of Liverpool
Excerpt
Table Of Contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Figures
- Abstract
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Research Premise and Question
- Object and Scope
- Theoretical Lenses
- Context and Contribution
- Method and Materials
- Methods and Mediation: Visual Research in the Age of Digitisation
- Chapter Outline
- Artistic and Freelance Photography
- Chapter 1 The GDR as Point of Departure
- 1.1. Socialist Realism and the Politicisation of Photography in the GDR
- 1.1.1. Photography as a Political Instrument
- 1.1.2. Institutional Control and Visual Norms
- 1.1.3. Artistic Responses: From Introspection to Autonomy
- 1.1.4. Conditions of Freelance Photography in the GDR
- 1.2. The Concept of Autorenfotografie
- 1.3. GDR Documentary Photography as Ersatzöffentlichkeit
- Encoding Through Metaphor and Ambiguity
- Aesthetics of Innuendo
- Chapter 2 Ostkreuz – Agency of Photographers: A History
- The Seven Founders
- Ostkreuz and Magnum
- Interpersonal Relationships
- 2.1. The First Decade
- 2.1.1. The Founding Period (1989–1990)
- Gender Parity and Its Myth
- 2.1.2. The Initial Period (1991–1993)
- 2.1.3. The Consolidation Period (1993–1999)
- Admission of New Members
- 2.2. Awakening: The Long Second Decade (2000–2015)
- 2.3. Outlook (Since 2016)
- Chapter 3 Othering the East: Ostkreuz’s Photographs After 1989
- 3.1. Postcolonial Theory and East Germany
- The East as the Other
- The German Media Landscape
- Self-Othering and the Emergence of an East German Identity
- 3.2. Ostkreuz’s Assignments in the 1990s
- 3.3. Photographic Strategies
- 3.3.1. Claiming
- 3.3.2. Facilitating
- 3.3.3. Countering
- 3.4. Between Adaptation and Resistance
- Chapter 4 Self-Othering: Exhibition Making in Post-Socialism
- 4.1. Neueinstellung – Deutschlandbilder (Resetting – Images of Germany, 2005)
- 4.2. Ostzeit. Stories from a Vanished Country (2009)
- 4.3. 25 Years Ostkreuz – Agency of Photographers (2015)
- 4.4. Exhibitions as Self-Fashioning: Ostkreuz and the Politics of Representation
- The Ostkreuz Myth and Its Future
- Epilogue
- Curating Ostkreuz Otherwise: La Condition – Vue par l’agence Ostkreuz (2018)
- Bibliography
- Image Credits
- Index
Figures
Fig. 1: Photograph by Frieda von Wild depicting Werner Mahler, Jens Rötzsch, Sibylle Bergemann, Ute Mahler, Thomas Sandberg, Harf Zimmermann, Harald Hauswald (clockwise from left to right), Berlin, 1990
Fig. 2: Gerhard Kiesling, ‘Die Mitglieder der Landwirtschaftlichen Produktionsgenossenschaft (LPG) Fienstedt’ (The members of the Agricultural Production Cooperative (LPG) Fienstedt, 1955
Fig. 3: Evelyn Richter, ‘An der Linotype. Druckerei des Verlags Neues Deutschland’ (At the linotype. Printing works of the publishing house Neues Deutschland), Berlin, 1959/1960
Fig. 4: Ute Mahler, ‘Lehnitz, Ute and Lothar K.’, from the series Living Together, 1974
Fig. 5: Ute Mahler, ‘Hennigsdorf, Dieter und Sonja M.’, from the series Living Together, 1982
Fig. 6: Jens Rötzsch, ‘Berlin(Ost), 1989 (Pfingsttreffen der FDJ (Freie Deutsche Jugend), 13.05.1989 Showveranstaltung im “Stadion der Weltjugend”)’ (Pentecost Meeting of the FDJ (Free German Youth), 13.05.1989 Show event at the ‘World Youth Stadium’), from the series Protokoll-Strecken, Berlin, 1989
Fig. 7: Sibylle Bergemann, ‘Berlin-Lichtenberg, Living Room in a Block of Houses’, from the series P2, 1974
Fig. 8: Harald Hauswald, ‘Hans-Otto-Straße, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg’, from the series Everyday Life, Berlin, 1983
Fig. 9: Werner Mahler, ‘Miner working underground’, from the series Mining, Zwickau, 1975
Fig. 10: Werner Mahler, ‘Miners underground’, from the series Mining, Zwickau, 1975
Fig. 11: Harald Hauswald, ‘Governmental convoy, Wilhelm-Pieck-Straße, Berlin-Mitte’, from the series Everyday Life, Berlin, 1980
Fig. 12: Harald Hauswald, ‘Dimitroffstraße, Schönhauser Allee, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg’, from the series Everyday Life, Berlin, 1985
Fig. 13: Ute Mahler, from the series Paris 1979, Paris, 1979
Fig. 14: Ute Mahler, from the series Paris 1979, Paris, 1979
Fig. 15: Ute Mahler, from the series Paris 1979, Paris, 1979
Fig. 16: Harald Hauswald, ‘“Desertion”, May Day March at Alexanderplatz, Berlin-Mitte’, from the series Everyday Life, Berlin, 1987
Fig. 17: Harald Hauswald, ‘Advertising Board of a Sewing Machine Shop, Pappelallee, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg’, from the series Everyday Life, Berlin, 1984
Fig. 18: Jens Rötzsch, ‘Budapest, 1988 (Thermalbad)’ (Budapest, 1988 [thermal bath]), from the series Budapesti, Budapest, 1988
Fig. 19: Martin Parr, ‘GB. England. New Brighton’, from the series The Last Resort, 1983–85
Fig. 20: Werner Mahler, ‘Mecklenburg’, 1989
Fig. 21: Werner Mahler, ‘Uckermark, 1990
Fig. 22: Sibylle Bergemann, from the series Das Denkmal, Berlin, 1986
Fig. 23: Sibylle Bergemann, from the series Das Denkmal, Gummlin, Usedom, 1984
Fig. 24: Ute Mahler, ‘Nicola and Manfred Kahns’, from the series Erotic in the East, Oranienburg, 1990
Fig. 25: Ute Mahler, ‘Customers in a porn shop’, from the series Erotic in the East, Berlin, 1990
Fig. 26: Ute Mahler, ‘The “Miss Breast” Competition’, from the series Erotic in the East, Oranienburg, 1990
Fig. 27: Ute Mahler, ‘Beauty Farm Bachmair, Tegernsee’, from the series Exkurs: Wessiland, 1991
Fig. 28: Ute Mahler, ‘Leisure Park Phantasialand’, from the series Exkurs: Wessiland, 1990
Fig. 29: Ute Mahler, ‘Sparkling wine breakfast from party caterer “Angel”’, from the series Brothers and Sisters: East, Hohen-Neuendorf, Brandenburg, 1994
Fig. 30: Ute Mahler, ‘Market in front of the construction company Schneider-Bau’, from the series Brothers and Sisters: East, Leipzig, Saxony, 1994
Fig. 31: Jens Rötzsch, ‘Ferropolis 2000 (Stadt aus Eisen – Industriemuseum und Veranstaltungsort im ehemaliger Tagebau Golpa-Nord)’, Gräfenhainichen, 2000
Fig. 32: Jens Rötzsch, ‘Ferropolis 2000 (Stadt aus Eisen – Industriemuseum und Veranstaltungsort im ehemaliger Tagebau Golpa-Nord)’, Gräfenhainichen, 2000
Fig. 33: Jens Rötzsch, ‘Summt, 1999 (Verkaufsstand an der Landstraße L-21 Summter Chaussee in Brandenburg)’ (Summt, 1999 (Sales stand on the L-21 Summter Chaussee road in Brandenburg), from the series Was von der DDR übrig blieb, Summt, 1999
Fig. 34: Jens Rötzsch, ‘Berlin, 1999 (Commemorative event marking the 80th anniversary of the assassination of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, 16 January 1999, Straussberger Platz)’, from the series Was von der DDR übrig blieb, Berlin, 1999
Fig. 35: Werner Mahler, from the series Tod in Suckow, Suckow, 1992
Fig. 36: Werner Mahler, from the series Tod in Suckow, Suckow, 1992
Fig. 37: Ute Mahler, ‘“Bomber” with his sons, Paul and Robert’, from the series Bomber, Berlin-Lichtenberg, Das Magazin 16, 1993
Fig. 38: Ute Mahler, ‘Robert’s second birthday’, from the series Bomber, Berlin-Lichtenberg, Das Magazin 16, 1993
Fig. 39: Sibylle Bergemann, ‘Woman at the Venusberg spinning mill (shortly before its liquidation)’, from the series Verliererinnen der Einheit, Flöha, 1992
Fig. 40: Sibylle Bergemann, ‘Untitled’, from the series Fashion in Dakar, Dakar, Senegal, June 2001
Fig. 41: Jordis Antonia Schlösser, Deconstruction of high-rise building, from the series Halle-Neustadt, Halle-Neustadt, 2004
Fig. 42: Jordis Antonia Schlösser, Subway station Halle-Neustadt, previously Buna-Leuna, from the series Halle-Neustadt, Halle-Neustadt, 2004
Fig. 43: Maurice Weiss, Deportation detention Köpenick, from the series Unwanted – Deportation Custody Berlin-Köpenick, Berlin, 2005
Fig. 44: Maurice Weiss, Ismael ‘Easy’ Tunga-Pedro, from the series Unwanted – Deportation Custody Berlin-Köpenick, Berlin, 2005
Fig. 45: Harald Hauswald, Everyday Life, exhibition view, HKW, Berlin, 2009
Fig. 46: Ute Mahler, left: Fashion photographs from Sibylle; right: Living Together, exhibition view, HKW, Berlin, 2009
Details
- Pages
- 216
- Publication Year
- 2026
- ISBN (PDF)
- 9783631924341
- ISBN (ePUB)
- 9783631924358
- ISBN (Hardcover)
- 9783631924334
- DOI
- 10.3726/b22189
- Language
- English
- Publication date
- 2026 (June)
- Keywords
- East Germany photography Ostkreuz reunification post-socialism identity visual culture documentary photography othering self-othering cultural memory media German history collective practice art politics GDR legacy
- Published
- Berlin, Bruxelles, Chennai, Lausanne, New York, Oxford, 2026. 216 S., 26 farb. Abb., 25 s/w Abb.
- Product Safety
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