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The Wolf Is Present

Hannes Jung

2019 - Ongoing

Wolves had become almost extinct in Germany in the past 200 years. Now again these animals roam the forests, meadows and villages, and come up to the edge of the cities. They rarely show up though, and none have been aggressive towards humans since their return. People fear the wolf nevertheless. Why?

The animals serve as identification and demarcation: here are those who cheer their return, here are the others, who perceive them as a threat. Parents who are unwilling to let their children play alone in the forest. Owners who don’t want to see their animals be killed or maimed by a wolf.

My pictures show places where wolves have been detected.

A wolf lives here

A wolf ate here

A wolf died here

A wolf was shot here

In these places man and wolf have to live together again. Whose territory is it? Who can live here undisturbed and run around, who should stay away – and who decides this?

In my photographs you don't see any traces of wolves. The pictures touch on themes of social change such as globalization, rural exodus or a turn around in energy: changes that frighten people but are perhaps more difficult to grasp than the wolf itself.

Beside my pictures I show newspaper and magazine pages, in which articles about the wolf appeared. I have deleted all words except the headline of the article and words in which the wolf appears.

I would like to point out the discrepancy between media presentation and the actual visibility of the topic.

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  • Bus station in Dossow. The Bus stops once a day. According to "Märkische Zeitung" eyewitnesses saw wolves in Dossow.
    The population decline in the district of Prignitz (The district where Dossow is located) will continue steadily until the year 2030 - as in the whole state of Brandenburg. At this time, about 24,600 fewer people will live here than in 2006 (base year for the surveys), which means a decrease of 28%. Dossow, Prignitz, April 10th 2019.

  • Fence at the open cast mine Nochten, near Weißwasser/Oberlausitz (in the background the Boxberg power station). Wolves live in the the open cast mine Nochten.

    In Lusatia there will be a major structural change in the next few years as a result of the coal withdrawal in 2038. Open cast mine Nochten, near Weißwasser, March 29th 2019.

  • Newspaper "Die Zeit", title: "Beware the wolf comes"

  • A newly built ruin or, as the german army says "destroyed infrastructure elements" at Schnöggersburg, a training area for urban warfare. Up to 1500 soldiers should train combat missions here at the same time. Wolves live at "Colbitzer Heath" where Schnöggersburg is located. Schnöggersburg, August 27th 2019.

  • Shooting targets sign as advertising for the marksmen's festival. Wolves live in the region around Lichtenhorst. Lichtenhorst, June 27th 2019.

  • Newspaper "Die Zeit", title: "Anxiety biting"

  • Fence at a street where a wolf was seen,
    Joachimsthal, Brandenburg, April 9th 2019.

  • Sheep in trailer before transport to another pasture, near Storkow, Nearby, wolves have killed 18 sheep. April 22th 2019.

  • A small stream near the military training area Muskau Heath. Wolves live in the area. Muskau Heath, March 29th 2019.

  • Tree in the forest near Prötzel, Brandenburg. A wolf was killed here on 23 January 1823. Near Prötzle, April 9th 2019.

  • Newspaper "Die Zeit", title: "Like the mafia"

  • Memorial stones for a killed wolf from 1848. Near Trebendorf, March 29th 2019.

  • House in Mehlsdorf, Brandenburg. In Mehlsdorf a wolf was shot March 24th 1961.

  • Newspaper "taz am wochenende", title: "The new ones in the forest"

  • Newspaper "Lausitzer Rundschau", title: "The One Who Came With The Wolf"

  • Wind brings dust a field next to the memorial
    for a killed wolf
    Bad Fallingbostel
    Lower Saxony, June 27th 2019.

  • Sign on the arterial road (B 158) from Berlin in the direction of Brandenburg. Wolves were spotted along the road. Ahrenfelde, May 2nd 2019.

  • Newspaper "Lausitzer Rundschau", title: "Problem wolf shot in Görlitz"

The Wolf Is Present

Hannes Jung

2019 - Ongoing

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