Wolfgang invited me to a very tasty dinner. Afterwards, I told him I’ve got a new camera, I want to get Polaroidiary rolling again after a long pause, and for a while at least I only want to make portraits. I made this one, and Wolfgang made me very happy simply by being extremely pleased with this portrait.

I made this a couple weeks ago when I was in the south of Germany to present to a potential new client. We presented, it went okay, but we didn’t win. That’s the other bad news.

After making this I didn’t want to carry my camera in with me, so I threw it in the back of the car. I’m still trying to get it back after forgetting to return it to my bag before we gave up the car. That’s worse. At least it was the last shot in the film pack.

But I’m also watching carefully for a new camera or two on ebay. So one way or another, I’ll be posting again soon. If anyone hears of a good deal on an SX-70 camera (or happens to want to send me one as a really nice gift) let me know.

The story started a few years ago. A couple friends of mine wrote a book called “Moderne Helden” (in English “Modern Heroes”, although the book’s so far only available in German). The idea was to show the world people who’s primary goal in life is to help other people, and, through these examples, to inspire others to do the same. Each person had at least two pages in the book, with a large portrait and an interview which explained their motivation, what they’ve done for others, and how it’s changed their lives.

An organisation, Moderne Helden e.V., was born out of the book and the energy behind it. The aim of the organisation is to inspire and help people to help others.

And last weekend was “Hero Camp 06”, a series of workshops and discussions centered around the idea of the book. Of the 29 people in attendance, a few were heroes from the book and many others who work with the organisation, or are simply motivated to help others. The subjects ranged from mythological systems to “what is happiness?”, networking and team-building to using the internet to organise projects. All in all I had lots of fun with the charming, friendly people there, and experienced countless moments of inspiration which I wont forget any time soon.

And what’s with the polaroid? This is Dirk, for me one of the most inspiring people there. Not because he saves people’s lives in disasters (that was Frank), and not because he sees things on a symbolic, mythological level (that was Michael). Dirk simply radiates enthusiasm, has in every situation a fitting joke and/or intelligent comment, and is so un-self-conscious and un-judgemental that he can relax and enjoy himself anywhere with anybody. Who wouldn’t be inspired by that?

The inscription reads:

Here lived / JULIUS COHN / Born 1886 / Deported 1941 / Murdered / Minsk

Obviously it and the three other plaques around it are memorials to Jews who once lived in the building I was waiting in front of.

A strange coincidence. The biggest news story today in Germany, splashed across the front of every newspaper in the country, is author and intellectual Gunther Grass’ admission that he was a member of the Waffen SS during World War II, and not a “Flakhelfer” as he’d claimed for decades (informative article at the Int’l Herald Tribune, sensationalism at Time). I’m no WWII buff, and I’m not looking to be flippant, but his turnaround is like admitting, after decades of saying you were in the house next door when the murder occured, that you actually gave the gun to the murderer.

Now Lech Walesa is demanding Grass give up his honourary citizenship in Danzig, many are calling his Nobel Prize into question, and debate is raging.

Update: Ulf on Polanoid explained that these plaques are an artist’s project. There’s a web site all about them, unfortunately only in German.

And here a totally unrelated tip for all photo fans: Magnum, the legendary photo agency, has a new site, Magnum in Motion, which is a collection of animated photo essays with audio and sometimes video commentary by the photographers themselves. Although a picture is worth a thousand words, just a few words from the photographer definitely serve to deepen the experience and understanding of the picture.

My company’s moved to a new neighbourhood, one with quite a bit more going on than where we used to be, and I’m enjoying sampling the numerous restaurants in the area. This is a quiet indian place around the corner. The kind of place where you ask yourself “how are they surviving with so few customers?” But the food’s good, the atmopshere is cozy, and, well, they’ve got elephants. What more could you want?