The disaster of Chernobyl happened in 1986, about seven months before I was born. Radioactivity spread first over Chernobyl and later on over parts of Europe, mushrooms and milk were said to be uneatable, whereas I was bubbling around in my mother’s belly. Yet I feel connected to this catastrophe: Whenever I stumble upon something related to Chernobyl I bookmark it and here is a yet too small collection of what I found. I will be happy if you share whatever you find, too.

First you have to watch “Chernobyl Legacy”, a really strong photo essay by Paul Fusco on Mediastorm. Not only Fusco’s daunting photographies, but his honest and moving comment make this one a special film to watch. He concentrates on children – those poor little humans who always suffer from the adults’ faults.

Then there’s Daniel Cuthbert who visited the restricted zone in 2006, twenty years after the disaster: Chernobyl. Those huge houses covered with snow or those building cranes almost look like there was everything fine. But quickly you realise: it isn’t fine. Frankly, nothing is fine.

Robert Polidori shows the same area in his book “Zones of exclusion. Pripyat and Chernobyl”. I find his pictures sensational and intense but unfortunately I didn’t find them on the internet.

Polymorf takes the viewer onto a journey to the restricted zone again. They say: “In the dead zone we didn’t encounter eight-legged frogs, giant grown trees or mutant children. But the breathtaking silence was more we could have ever imagined for.” And I think, their film gets that across quite convincingly: Lost Souls.
But they did another film. Watch Rimma before you visit this website showing pictures of Chernobyl, too: Kidd of speed.

Last but not least I read a book about Chernobyl. In German it’s called “Tschernobyl. Eine Chronik der Zukunft” (literal translation: Chernobyl. A chronicle of the future.) by Swetlana Alexijewitsch, but it might be available in English, too. You can read my German review over there. If you can get your hands on it – don’t hesitate and read it.

I guess now you need something to cheer you up – maybe you have a look at some more recommendations here. :) Anyway, thank you for reading.