.randbild | photography.

"The Twentieth Spring", a portrait of caucasian town Shushi 20 years after its so called "Liberation" by armenian fighters. In its more than two centuries old history Shushi was ruled by different powers like armeniens, persians, russian or aseris. In 1991 a fierce battle for Karabakhs independence from Azerbaijan began. During the breakdown of Sowjet Union armenians didn´t want to stay within the Republic of Azerbaijan anymore. 1992 armenians managed to takeover "ancient armenian Shushi" and pushed out remained aseri forces which had operate a rocket base in Shushi, targeting the armenian population downhill. Since then Shushi became an "armenian town" again. Today, 20 years after the statement of Karabakhs independence Shushi tries to find its opportunities for its future. The less populated town is still affected by devastation and ruins by it´s violent history. Life is mostly a daily struggle for the inhabitants to get expenses covered, caused by a lack of jobs and almost no perspective for a sustainable economic development. Shushi depends on donations by diaspora armenians. On the other hand those donations have made it possible to rebuilt a cultural centre, recover new asphalt roads and other infrastructure. 20 years after Shushis fall into armenian hands Babies get born and people don´t want to fall under aseri rule again. The bloody early 1990´s civil war has moved forward into the frontline trenches 20 kilometer away from Shushi where it stucks since 1994. The karabakh conflict is still not solved and could turn to an open war every day. Nonetheless life goes on on the south caucasian rocky tip in the mountainious region of Karabakh where Shushi enthrones since centuries.