Kosovo – Life in Fear, November 1988

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The first time I traveled to Kosovo, I must admit that I felt as if I were entering the Wild Kurdistan from Karl May’s novels. There was an abundance of exotic impressions. Yet, all my direct encounters with local people — Albanians, Serbs, Roma, or Gorani — were more than correct. What remained deeply etched in my memory was that everyone, without exception, complained about the others. Even then, it was clear to me that something was profoundly wrong.

This photograph was not taken in Northern Ireland, but only 246 kilometers by air from Belgrade. It shows a group of Serbs inside a modest rural house, cleaning and oiling their weapons. They are preparing for a night watch, fearing an attack during the night — by their neighbors.

This was everyday life: days and nights lived in constant uncertainty and fear. During my time in Kosovo and Metohija, I witnessed and experienced many things, but this atmosphere of permanent tension and vigilance remains one of the most powerful memories of that period.