Cross Border-Love

From 16th March to 15th June 2020 Switzerland and Germany were divided by the coronavirus pandemic. Fences, concrete obstacles or just barrier tapes separated them after borders between the two nations were closed to slow the spread of the virus.

For the first time since the 2nd World War, Switzerland had closed all its borders. In recent decades they had hardly been noticed by the population, they had been invisible lines, freely crossed by the inhabitants of both sides.

The Covid 19 pandemic caused the authorities to raise obstacles again, barrier tapes signal the limitation of the accessible area and draw the old border lines which had been reinforced with barbed wire during the 2nd world war.

For us Europeans accustomed to freedom, they were a clear disturbance of the normal habit.

The fences between Switzerland and Germany, in both countries the people could still move freely, were now a meeting place for those people who were geographically separated: Lovers, friends and families. They pressed against the bars to talk to each other, to drink a beer and have a smoke together or, where possible, spread a carpet under the barrier tapes to exchange caresses. Love couldn't be locked away.