Pictures of youth define Swiss photographer’s legacy

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Taken from the series from which the photojournalist gained recognition. The 11-year-old cadet Vladimir (Vova) in his first year of the Kronstadt Academy. Before he was accepted at the academy, Vova hadn't ever seen an inland lake and knew nothing about seafaring and ships. 1997, Kronstadt. Peter Dammann Estate

Street kids of St. Petersburg at the militia's 'distribution centre'. The children had their hair shaved before being sent back to orphanages or their parents. 1991-1995, St. Petersburg. Peter Dammann Estate

Young cadets. A former mayor of St. Petersburg founded the St. Petersburg and Kronstadt Cadet academy. The academy was built as a sanctuary for disadvantaged children. 1997. Peter Dammann estate

Children often slept under the benches on railway platforms. 1995, Bucharest. Peter Dammann

Although railway stations are warmer than being outside, younger children were targeted by older kids and adults who stole what little possessions they had. The police would also chase them away. 1992, Sofia. Peter Dammann Estate

Since 1926 nuns have used a convent as a children's home. 1991-1995, Warsaw, Poland. Peter Dammann Estate

Left: 17-year-old Christina lived in a home for disabled children next to a psychiatric institution. 2002-2003 Romania. Right: Although Tiago's mother lived in the same region of Salvador as him, he lived at the port, sleeping on the street. The children there washed in the dirty port water. 2002 Brazil. Peter Dammann Estate

Svetlana Khakimova, a student in the first grade at music school. She lived in one room together with her family and played piano. Svetlana's grandparents were visiting for the week in this picture. 1998-1999, St. Petersburg. Peter Dammann Estate

The Youth Orchestra in Ramallah in a rehearsal with conductor Daniel Barenboim. 2004-2007, Palestine. Peter Dammann Estate

Professor Neli Imedashvili taught music for more than 50 years and is pictured here with her student Sergo Markosian. 2010-2012, Georgia. Peter Dammann Estate

At the beach in Gaza. 2014. Peter Dammann Agentur Focus

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Photos of Russian cadets brought Swiss photographer Peter Dammann acclaim in 1998. Now, a book and an exhibition in Switzerland look back at the extensive work he left behind. 

Dammann, who was awarded a lead prize with his portrait of a Russian military cadet for the 1998 World Press Photo Contest, was a social critic who formed a bond with the people at the centre of his photography. Children and young people were the focus of Dammann’s images.

Whether they lived on the streets, in orphanages or in psychiatric institutions, he gave these people a face and captured their personalities. His photographs serve as a record of the injustices and daily struggles faced by the children he met in Russia.

In the 1990s when Dammann visited St Petersburg, the streets were home to thousands of orphans or abandoned children who had fled their homes to live among the city ruins and train stations. Dammann took their photos to raise awareness of their plight and would try to find places for the children to sleep without fear of the authorities taking them away. 

During his travels in the 1990s to Kronstadt – a Russian island with a naval base – Dammann photographed cadets who came from underprivileged backgrounds. In St Petersburg he took photos of cadets from families with a long history of soldiers over many generations. His photographic report on the cadets for the German magazine ‘Mare’, gained him wide recognition and his awardExternal link.

Using culture where politics failed

Dammann also took photos of the Youth Orchestra in Ramallah. The Palestinian ensemble was set up by the conductor Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian literary scholar Edward Said. Dammann was fascinated by the idea of using culture to achieve something where politics had failed – in creating peace – he told ‘Stern’ magazine in an interview at the time.

After his marriage to the Swiss film director Gabriele Schärer in 1996, the German-born photographer became a Swiss citizen and adopted Bern as his home. He died in 2015, leaving behind an extensive body of work about people from many countries. Schärer edited a book of his work that was published at the end of 2019 – ‘The White HorseExternal link: Peter Dammann. Photography’.

The exhibition can be seen at the ‘Kornhausforum’External link gallery in Bern, until March 7, 2020.