See Thy Neighbor: Stern Photographers Thomas Hoepker and Harald Schmitt in the GDR

Proving that photography is no more “objective” than any other medium, two photographers with the same mission offer very different views of East Germany. In 1973, in the wake of a West German policy of détente toward Eastern Europe, official relations were established between the two German states. Soon after, the West German illustrated magazine Stern set up an office in East Berlin. The first Stern photographer who permanently moved to East Berlin was Thomas Hoepker, a future president of the Magnum photo cooperative, who covered East Germany in 1975 and 1976. When Stern’s management offered him a chance to move to New York, he gladly accepted, finding not much to enjoy in the East German capital. His successor, Harald Schmitt, started to work for Stern in East Berlin in 1977. Unlike Hoepker, Schmitt enjoyed life in East Germany, stayed for more than six years, and married an East German conservator. He had to leave the country in 1983 when the East German authorities didn’t extend his accreditation. Through reports published by Stern, unpublished photographs, and documents and photos from the Stasi archives (both photographers were closely monitored by the East German secret police), this exhibition highlights Hoepker and Schmitt’s very different approaches to East German life, culture, and society.