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Peter Schön - Photographer & Ski Alpinist

   
    
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Tskhaltubo/Georgia - Waiting Since 18 Years For …?

(2011)

Tskhaltubo, a former Soviet spa resort, is now turned into a shelter for internally displaced people (IDP) from the short but intense Georgian-Abkhaz wars (1992–93 & 1998). The conflicts resulted in numerous war crimes, massacres and ethnic cleansing, forcing around 250 000 ethnic Georgians to flee Abkhazia. Some 7000* IDP have been living here since 18 years in poor, cramped and unsanitary conditions, waiting for another future, seemingly forgotten by the rest of the world. Tskhaltubo’s dilapidating buildings used to be the Soviet holiday paradise, now they are haunted by the ghosts of the past and the broken hopes of the present.

The images were taken in 2011 during a photo project in collaboration with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).
*This number has decreased to 800, due to efforts to resettle IDPs in proper homes. Photo project from 2018 by Ryan Koopman: >>Sanatorium


IDP Portrait, Tskhaltubo, a former Soviet sanatorium, now shelter for internally displaced people (IDP) from the short but intense Georgian-Abkhaz war (1992–93). IDP Generations IDP Portrait Waiting since 18 years for...?



Early Winter in Ergneti

(2015)

In autumn 2011 I began to work on my long-term photo project about refugees and internally displaced people in the South Caucasus, working closely with the Norwegian and Danish Refugee Councils. During my work, I also visited the Georgian side of the buffer zone to South Ossetia. In 2008 a conflict had erupted between Georgia and Russia over the break-away region of South Ossetia.
When I arrived in Ergneti, the war had been over for more than three years, but there were still traces of it everywhere – not only on the houses and infrastructure, but also in the minds of the people living here. One scene struck me in particular: a lonely, elderly woman walks down a muddy street as winter arrives in Ergneti, a town almost completely destroyed during the war. The losers of this political power game are the people living on either side of the buffer zone – people who lost wives, husbands, sons or daughters, who lost their homes and livelihoods amidst the shelling, burning and bombing of villages.

The images were taken in 2011 during a photo project in collaboration with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

Early winter start in Ergneti (Georgia, Caucasus) near the Georgian-South Ossetian border, November 2011. The village was largely destroyed by Russian forces during the Russian-Georgian war of 2008. While the war had been over for more than three years, but there were still traces of it everywhere – not only on the houses and infrastructure, but also in the minds of the people living here. A family of ethnic Georgians displaced from South Ossetia during the 1991-92 war. The father of the family was disabled during the first war, and died of emotional pressure during the 2008 South Ossetia conflict.



Refugees in Armenia - Nagorno-Karabakh and Syria/Iraq Aftermaths.

(2012)
 
During the 1988 - 1994 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict nearly 360.000 refugees - ethnic Armenians - fled Azerbaijan to Armenia. An even higher number - over 600.000 - of Azeris were driven from Armenia and Karabakh. The government of Armenia provided the refugees from Azerbaijan with rooms in former public administrative buildings not in function after the collapse of USSR - e.g. abandoned hotels, hostels, schools or kindergartens. Many refugees acquired Armenian citizenship, others decided to hold their refugee status. Many died here as they grew older, others had success to escape the situation - but too many still survive in poor social and living conditions, and that since 20-23 years. Additionally, many ethnic Armenians fled Iraq and more recently, Syria. These ethnic Armenians are descendants of those driven from West Armenia during the 1915 Armenian Genocide, now returning to Armenia proper.

The images were taken in 2011 during a photo project in collaboration with UNHCR Armenia and Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor.



Iraqi couple of Armenian ethnicity, who fled Iraq and now lives in a communal center in Darbnik, near Yerevan. Mkrtich, a social worker from Mission Armenia, and Araxia (85), an Armenian refugee from Baku, in her room in a former prison in Kasakh near Yerevan Two refugees from Baku - Lilian (86) and her mentally disabled son (57) - in their tiny room in a former hotel near Yerevan, where they have been living for over 20 years. Aramis (84), an Armenian refugee in the village of Nor Khachakap, Armenia. He is one of the 400.000 Armenians that had to flee Azerbaijan during the 1988-1994 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The village was formerly inhabited by Azeris, who themselves had to flee Armenia for Azerbaijan. Armenian refugees in the village of Nor Khachakap, near Vanadzor, Armenia. Nor Khachakap was formerly inhabited by Azeris, who themselves had to flee Armenia for Azerbaijan. The family's son died under mysterious circumstances while serving in the Armenian army in 2007.






About

Peter Schön is a photographer based in Trondheim/Norway & Tbilisi/Georgia. His passion for photography started in the mountains, during several first ski descents of 5000-6000 m peak in the Andes, Pamir, Tien Shan and South Caucasus. Later, he ventured into documentary photography, with several portfolios about refugees and internally displaced people (IDP) in the South Caucasus.
Peter currently pursues a Ph.D. in urban form, mobility and CO2 emissions at NTNU Trondheim, and also works as certified ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) Ski Guide and CAA Level 3 avalanche technician.
(www.ps-avalanche-consulting.com)