April 2, 1949: Germany in the post-war period. A plain advertisement appears in the Hamburger Abendblatt. An advertisement which, undreamt of, was to change the life story of some people forever: »German workers for Iceland«. They are looking for help in the countryside, preferably female. 314 people apply and travel to a country of which most people only knew the name. 114 women stay forever. Packed by the extraordinary life stories, I set off in early February 2020 to search for traces in the land of ice and stone. Who are these women? And what kind of country is this? What no one knew: My journey was about to last longer. It led me through a seemingly timeless world, marked by rough landscapes, a foreign language, a few hundred sheep and the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight weeks unexpectedly became five months.
»TRACES« captures my everyday life on the Icelandic countryside in a photo documentary. These are not always brilliant moments. I rather share real impressions through my personal window on people’s lives. Contrary insights, which remain mostly hidden to passing tourists.
