Dream on - Berlin, the 90s

The OSTKREUZ agency was founded in 1990 in East Berlin, during a time of major upheaval. For Once Upon a Time ... Berlin, nine OSTKREUZ photographers, in collaboration with curators Annette Hauschild (OSTKREUZ) and Boaz Levin (C/O Berlin Foundation), have taken a contemporary look into their extensive archives. As documentarians, they closely followed the city’s transformations during the height of photojournalism, observing social change and the challenges of reunifying the once-divided metropolis.

The accompanying essays reflect these themes on multiple levels: Janos Frecot examines the changing urban landscape, Jens Balzer explores Berlin’s creative and cultural potential, and Anne Rabe—writing as a young East German voice—offers a deeply personal perspective on the present-day city.

OSTKREUZ is an independent, photographer-led agency based in Berlin, currently comprising 24 members.