Leporello
2020
chromogenic print
70 × 50 cm.
(photo Heinz Ostermann)
In September 2016, the right-wing party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) won 13.9 percent of the votes in the Neukölln Senate elections. As an reaction bookshop owner Heinz Ostermann along with others in his industry founded the initiative "Neukölln booksellers against right-wing populism and racism", which organized readings and lectures. The first event in Ostermann's Leporello bookstore in Rudow was attended by 50 people.
This led to serious consequences for Ostermann: First, stones were thrown through the windows of his bookstore. Ostermann had safety glass installed, barred the windows and replaced all the locks. A few weeks later his car was torched in front of his home. Neighbors and friends collected donations so Ostermann could buy a replacement car. He was only able to drive it for about 11 months, as on the night of February 1st 2018, the new car which was full of books was also torched.