---
title: "Europa"
date: 2022-11-29
last_modified: 2022-11-29T16:44:48+01:00
generated_at: 2026-05-13T05:41:20Z
url: "https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/story/europa"
description: "Photo articles of Bernd-Horst Sefzik. Part 1."
image: "https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sefzik-09-finnland-1984.jpg"
language: "en-US"
---

# Europa

„Flohmarkt“, Paris 1972

© Stadtmuseum Berlin | Foto: Bernd-Horst Sefzik

![Ein mann tanzt auf einem Flohmarkt](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/10._frankreich-paris_1972-flohmarkt_sefzik-1-300x200.jpg)

## Photo articles of Bernd-Horst Sefzik

## Part 1

Bernd-Horst Sefzik visited a lot of European countries, including Yugoslavia following a major earthquake. Or Poland, from where he reported on a children's health centre which commemorates the victims of German occupation as a “memorial for life”. His reports were not merely confined to the socialist nations of Europe. He also visited Turkey for instance where a steelworks was built with Soviet aid.

## ROMANIA

![Alter Fischer und sein Boot](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/02._rumaenien_25-6-79_donau_delta_sefzik-300x54.jpg)  Old fisherman. Detail from a contact sheet, Danube Delta 1979

© Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Bernd-Horst Sefzik

## BACKGROUND

Coverage on the development of spa town Baile Herculane in the Cerna Valley. The Romans laid the foundation stone for the first bathhouse in the thermal springs here around 2,000 years ago: *At the waters of Hercules, NBI 34/77.*

After the Danube has flowed through seven European nations, it slowly streams towards the Black Sea estuary. In the process, it carries so much sediment with it that the land is pushed 40 metres into the sea every year: *The youngest nation of Europe, NBI 20/80.*

## YUGOSLAVIA

![eine Straßenansicht mit einem alten Mann im Hintergrund](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/03._jugoslavien_30-10-1979_2_sefzik-192x300.jpg)  “Despite serious damage to property, only 14 deaths and 60 casualties were reported in Kotor and the surrounding area. When a Japanese man learnt of these figures, he asked comrade Popović warily: ‘Why don’t you disclose deaths and casualties?’” Kotor 1979

© Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Bernd-Horst Sefzik

## BACKGROUND

On Easter Sunday 15th April 1979, the biggest earthquake in the history of Yugoslavia struck the Adriatic coast. 135 people died in the disaster. Kotor, situated in an inlet in the autonomous republic of Montenegro, was especially hard hit: *Kotor – 200 days after the disaster, NBI 51/7.*

## SWEDEN

## BACKGROUND

The report dealt with the growing economic difficulties in Sweden, criticising the ruling centre-right government in power for the past four years: *A closer look at Sweden, NBI 7/81.*

## TURKEY

## BACKGROUND

Soviet experts construct the steelworks at Isekenderun. Vast industrial facilities and new residential areas alter the city skyline: Example Iskenderun, NBI 13/77.

## POLAND

![](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/08._polen_7-5-1979_sefzik-300x195.jpg)  “State-of-the-art equipment from many countries enable safe diagnoses.” Warsaw 1979

© Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Bernd-Horst Sefzik

## BACKGROUND

The children's health centre near Warsaw was set up as a living memorial to the men, women and children murdered during the Nazi occupation. Its 14 storeys were supposed to symbolise the years of childhood: *Memorial for Life, NBI 29/79.*

## FINLAND

## BACKGROUND

The image accompanies a report about the old town of Porvoo. Sefzik also visited Helsinki during the trip: *Peaceful old Porvoo – Finland’s second-oldest town, NBI 41/84.*

## FRANCE

![Ein mann tanzt auf einem Flohmarkt](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/10._frankreich-paris_1972-flohmarkt_sefzik-1-300x200.jpg)  “Flea market”, Paris 1972

© Stadtmuseum Berlin | Foto: Bernd-Horst Sefzik

## BACKGROUND

The images came about during a two-week stay in France, in Paris and Lyons. The reason behind this was the debate in France around the political recognition of the GDR: Recognition now!, NBI 27/72.

## Other photo series

- [

![Auf dem Schwarz-Weiß-Foto ist der Fotograf Bernd-Horst Sefzik zu sehen, er trägt eine Brille und ein helles Hemd, in der linken Hand hält er einen Selbstauslöser, er schaut direkt in die Kamera](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/sefzik-portrait_0-243x300.jpg)

### Bernd-Horst Sefzik

Adoptive Berliner Bernd-Horst Sefzik (1942–1994) made a name for himself as a photo journalist in the GDR and beyond. In the “Neue Berliner Illustrierte”, his reports contained striking images from across the globe.

Article, 4 min Lesezeit

](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/article/bernd-horst-sefzik)
- [

![Kleine Kinder an einer geöffneten Altstadt-Haustür](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sefzik-06-kolumbien-1973-300x196.jpg)

### Amerika und Asien

Reportage-Fotografie des Ost-Berliner Bildjournalisten Bernd-Horst Sefzik aus der Neuen Berliner Illustrierten (NBI). | Teil 3

Short-Story, 5 min Lesezeit

](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/story/asien-mittel-und-sudamerika)
- [

![Drei Soldaten in Schlammwüste vor Raketenbehältern](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sefzik-06-kapustin-jar-1988-300x206.jpg)

### Sowjetunion

Reportage-Fotografie des Ost-Berliner Bildjournalisten Bernd-Horst Sefzik aus der Neuen Berliner Illustrierten (NBI). | Teil 2

Short-Story, 4 min Lesezeit

](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/story/sowjetunion)