2021 Photo Contest, General News, 2nd Prize

Cross-Border Love

Photographer

Roland Schmid

25 April, 2020

Friends and lovers meet at the barrier tape marking the closed border between Switzerland and Germany, near Riehen, Switzerland. Every now and then a helicopter flies by to check from the air whether people are abiding by the rules.

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.

About the photographer

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...

Technical information

Shutter Speed
1/125
ISO
200
Camera
LEICA M (Typ 240)

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