bonnland, a deserted village frozen in time
In his latest photographic series, David Altrath captures the unsettling quietude of Bonnland, an abandoned German village with a fascinating history of displacement. Located within the Hammelburg military training area in Lower Franconia, Bonnland has been off-limits to civilians for decades, functioning as a sealed-off military training village since 1965. Altrath’s photo series offers a rare, almost cinematic glimpse into what he describes as a silent stage set ‘with alleyways without sounds, houses without life — a backdrop for scenarios that never took place.’
all images by David Altrath
david altrath captures the village’s surreal dualities
The village was first cleared in 1938 during the expansion of the military zone under the German army. Though some residents returned after the Second World War, they were permanently resettled in 1965 when the Bundeswehr took control of the site. Since then, Bonnland has remained intact but uninhabited, with some of its buildings being utilized for tactical training exercises by the German armed forces. Despite its role as a stage for such rehearsed scenarios, the village remains physically untouched while remaining listed as a cultural heritage site.
Capturing this eerie history, David Altrath’s perspective of the village captures a surreal duality and presents it as a preserved shell of rural life. The homes are intact though uninhabited, narrow alleys are devoid of any sound, and derelict vehicles seem suspended in time. The German photographer portrays a setting that feels paradoxically alive and lifeless, amplifying the uncanny realism of a built landscape repurposed for fiction.
David Altrath presents photo series, Bonnland
an abandoned military village in Germany