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The Last Day

Eco­nomic cri­sis. This is not a the­o­ret­i­cal phe­nom­e­non. It is real. It is about peo­ple and their work and their life. It can be a fate. As long as I can think there was this garage in a vil­lage nearby. Now it was closed down. I doc­u­mented the last day.

The Last Day

Some days ago a garage in a vil­lage nearby closed. I had my cars repaired and main­tained there for ages. I went there with my very first car (a Cit­roen 2CV in 1977) and my Volvo V70 was the very last car that had its tyres changed in that work­shop too. I knew Julius, the for­mer owner, who died of can­cer some years ago, and I know Udo, his son, who gave up the busi­ness now. On the very last day I took my cam­era with me and doc­u­mented what I saw.

[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_arbeitskarte.jpg]Oper­at­ing sheet
Last orders in the garage.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_schiebt.jpg]Push it
Udo is push­ing a car into posi­tion in his garage.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_willi_buehne.jpg]Car hoist
Willi is about to lift a car.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_20110331-udo_wuchtet.jpg]Out of bal­ance
Udo is bal­anc­ing the wheel of a car.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_misst.jpg]Low pres­sure
Meter­ing the pres­sure of a tyre.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_hand.jpg]Pump it up
Black hand work.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_willi_scheibe.jpg]Head­less man
Willi is work­ing on a car.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_frau_stamm.jpg]Last office work
Udo talk­ing to a client in the office. Some pack­ing cases are wait­ing to be used.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_draussen.jpg]Rainy day
The rain some­how went well with that sad day. Willi, the only remain­ing mechanic (once there were 3 employ­ees), is talk­ing to a long time cus­tomer. Some­one else is check­ing the pres­sure of his tyres.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_fertig.jpg]Done
…[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_bolzen.jpg]Mount
The wheel is being mounted to the car.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_haube.jpg]Clos­ing down
Udo is done with a car.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_tasse.jpg]Cold cof­fee
Caf­feine does not change much.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_rechnet.jpg]It is never enough
Udo doing some cal­cu­la­tion in his office.[img src=http://www.grainworks.eu/wp/wp-content/flagallery/the-last-day/thumbs/thumbs_udo_buero.jpg]Blank stare
Udo is sit­ting in his office with the mas­ter craftsman's diploma of his father on the wall. But I guess he is not really there.

One Comment

  1. Guillermo Mayoral
    12 Apr ’11 at 13:41

    I love the series Michael, I love the clean, beau­ti­ful black & white you use.
    Con­grat­u­la­tions
    Guillermo

    Reply

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