The photography of Klaus Fröhlich capture an older Belfast many post agreement aren’t in any way familiar with. An extremely polical time in Ireland’s history and an incredibly tense moment in Belfast’s Troubles. As you can see, soldiers are aiming their guns across Belfast streets, cars are burnt out. “Final Salute” murals seem freshly painted.
The photography of Klaus Fröhlich showing normal life.
But beyond the marches, politics and violence Klaus Fröhlich’s photography shows the vulnerable side to a city that was dealing with poverty, deprivation and normal life. Men still stand in the bars awaiting their drinks at the Crown. Fashionable women show of their new clothes in Divis.
Somehow, life went on in Belfast City. Shops continue to operate and provide momentary normality and in ways escape from the world outside. For Klaus to have captured these contrasted moments of political reality and working normalcy still amazes us. To visit an active warzone and to hitchhike to this contentious space nonetheless is a courageous feat. We are beyond thankful to Klaus for sharing these amazing photographs of old Belfast and continue to admire his work daily. Below is some thoughts on the photos as shared by Klaus Fröhlich.
“The first time I went to Ireland I was a photography student. That was 1979. I had decided to visit Belfast to get an impression of what the conflict is doing with a city. I didn’t have a lot of information, just what we had in the newspapers. I was also planning to visit a fishing cooperative in Toombridge on Lough Neagh that I had read about.
The second time I went to Belfast was in 1981. That was the time of the hunger strikes. There was a chance to get a seat on a bus to Michael Devine’s funeral in Derry. He had died the week I was taking pictures in Belfast.
My stays in Belfast were only ever for a week. I was still a student and didn’t have a lot of money. I was hitchhiking.”
For more photos by Klaus please visit his website. For more old photos of Belfast, The Troubles and more check out our other galleries.
Klaus Fröhlich’s Galleries
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