The final winter

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, people celebrated in Germany and many other parts of the world. Less than a year later, the reunification of East and West Germany became a reality. At the same time, further east, the Soviet Union crumbled. Although the political chaos there was widely reported, the dramatic consequences for the population were buried in the jubilation over reunification. German photographer Michael Kerstgens travelled to Moscow in the winter of 1990/91 to document the atmosphere in the city. The images he made more than 25 years ago portray the harshness and desolation of the city, the powerlessness, anger, and desperation of the discouraged people.