Relics of the Cold War

The Cold War is over - yet some relics still exist. For forty years, the Iron Curtain divided the countries of Europe into East and West. The arms race was unleashed, nuclear fallout shelters were constructed, and everyone braced for the worst. I have spent ten years in search of the traces of this period, traveling through the countries of former enemies on both sides of the line. I explored and documented underground tunnels, abandoned system control centres, deserted army barracks, rotting tanks, and destroyed monuments. These photographs are a stark and moving document of this era of hostility, deterrence politics, and the arms race - and also serve as an appeal for future peace.

Photos by Martin Roemers