Photo exhibition: Up close – Faces of an armada
On Monday, February 3, 2025, a photo exhibition entitled “Up Close – Faces of an Armada” opened in the foyer of the Osterholz district administration building. The exhibition features impressive photographs taken during a photo workshop in the Teufelsmoor to observe the peat barge armada in April 2023, led by Michaela Klüver. The opening began at 4 p.m. on February 3 with a welcome address by District Administrator Bernd Lütjen and an introduction to the exhibition by course leader Michaela Klüver.
The peat barge armada in the Teufelsmoor
The first artists came to Worpswede over 100 years ago. Instead of the bus that now conveniently connects Worpswede to Bremen, the peat barge was the primary means of transport in the moorland. People used it to visit neighbors, take their children to school, and transport livestock. Above all, the moorland farmers used it to transport their peat to Bremen. Even today, peat barges still ply the Hamme River – now it’s holidaymakers who enjoy a leisurely boat trip. Every three years in April, the Teufelsmoor-Worpswede-Unterweser Tourist Agency organizes an elaborate peat barge flotilla, in which the region’s peat barges travel together from Worpswede-Neu-Helgoland to the Bremer-Findorff harbor and back to the Teufelsmoor. The workshop, where the photographers were literally allowed to get up close to the action of the peat barge armada, was an unforgettable experience for the photography course participants. They extend their heartfelt thanks to the peat barge operators and Mr. Thorsten Milenz from the tourist agency for the warm welcome that made this possible.
- To the participant gallery: peat barge armada
- To the gallery of my black and white photos: peat barge armada
In addition to Michaela Klüver, the following artists are represented in the exhibition: Robert Barion, Hans Roland Becker, Thomas Doerbandt, Ralf Nentwig and Bernhard Schmid.
The photographs will be on display until Friday, April 25th. The exhibition can be visited during regular opening hours at the District Office I, Osterholzer Strasse 23 in Osterholz-Scharmbeck: Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Press reviews of the photo exhibition:
- Link to an article in the Weserkurier/Wümme-Zeitung: Exhibition in the Osterholz district office shows photographs of the Torkahn armada
- Link to an article in the Osterholzer Anzeiger from February 6, 2025: Faces of a peat barge armada
- Link to an article in the Weserkurier/Wümme-Zeitung from February 6, 2025: The faces of the peat barge armada
Photo impressions from the opening day
At the exhibition opening, District Administrator Bernd Lütjen welcomed, in addition to “Moor Commissioner Jürgen Christian Findorff” (Matthias Mahnke), many members of the Adolphsdorf Peat Barge Operators Association, the Osterholz-Scharmbeck Peat Barge Operators Association, and Findorff’s Heirs of Kolbecksmoor Association, all dressed in their traditional attire. With nearly 100 visitors, the foyer of the district administration building was packed that afternoon. The reunion with the peat barge operators and the many conversations brought back memories of the armada and were a delight for the photographers present. And already, anticipation is growing for the photo workshop to the next peat barge armada in 2026. Here are a few impressions from the photo exhibition.