General News - 2nd Prize
Cross-Border Love
Roland Schmid
04 April, 2020
To prevent lovers from touching each other, Swiss border guards erected a second border fence between Kreuzlingen, in Switzerland, and Konstanz in Germany—but that doesn't stop couples from talking through the fence.
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...