Originally scheduled to run until May 27, the exhibition "The person behind it" has now been extended until June 7 in the Berswordthalle. The exhibition uses personal testimonies and portraits to address the increasing number of attacks against police, law enforcement and rescue workers. The extension was intended to give even more people in Dortmund the chance to see the personal stories. The exhibition initiators Andrea Wommelsdorf and Burkard Knöpker on the response to their traveling exhibition in Dortmund: "We were very satisfied with the exhibition in Dortmund. Due to the location of the Berswordthalle, many people looked at the pictures as they passed by, which was an improvement on the exhibition in Münster. The media interest that has now arisen also shows how important this topic is. We would like to thank you for that." As part of the exhibition, donations were also collected for a charitable cause, in this case for the Dortmund Nordstadtliga initiative. Mirza Demirovic and Jörg Loose accepted the donation of 350 euros. The touring exhibition "The person behind it" can be seen for three weeks from June 9 at the Salzkotten Police Museum.


Here is some more information about the exhibition:
Four "Dortmund faces" were photographed by the initiators of this important campaign for more respect and tolerance towards police officers during an appointment at Dortmund Police Headquarters: Anja Kranitz from Dortmund's public order office, Maria Frenking from the municipal public order service, policewoman Natascha Hanke, firefighter Andreas Helmecke as well as Maher Belmkaddem and Annemarie Hollenbach (customer advisor for local transport at Deutsche Bahn). In detailed interviews lasting around 60 minutes, they opened up to the quartet of initiators and shared their thoughts with them. They want to show: WE - are "the people behind it". And WE - want more tolerance and respect for our work. After all, how can it be that emergency services are being attacked more and more frequently in their day-to-day work, that the inhibition threshold for sometimes massive confrontations continues to fall? That insults are often the rule rather than the exception?

Initiator Wommelsdorf: "I don't want to show models, but real photos of real people"

This question was also on Andrea Wommelsdorf's mind. She is the woman who came up with the idea for this traveling vernissage on the night of June 20/21, 2020. At the time, there were violent riots in Stuttgart during the dispersal of a rally. A video in which a protester jumped into the back of a police officer with tremendous force showed a new dimension of blatant violence. "Suddenly I had this vision," says Andrea Wommelsdorf about her aha moment regarding the exhibition and remembers: "I want to put these people, who do such important work for our society, in the spotlight. To do this, I don't have to show any models or embellished pictures, but simply real photos of real people. And the more stories we hear from these impressive people, the more valuable and better this project becomes."

Andrea Wommelsdorf quickly got her friends Burkard Knöpker, Dirk Reinhardt and photographer Charlotte Beck enthusiastic about the purely voluntary and non-profit project and immediately began organizing and realizing the exhibition. Employees from the police, armed forces, fire department, rescue service or public order offices and services from all over Germany were happy to participate. The acquisition was easier than expected. Andrea Wommelsdorf: "The feedback from both our protagonists and our visitors simply makes us proud. Because you realize that these are not pictures or texts that you just walk past, but that you stop in front of. That you immerse yourself in." Burkard Knöpker, who is responsible for the accompanying texts, adds: "My heart beats for writing in general and this project in particular. I want to touch people emotionally, that's what I like to do."

Police officer Natascha Hanke: "We are not a bruising ground for personal frustration management"

The four "Dortmund faces" from the police, fire department and city who took part in the photo shoot with photographer Charlotte Beck and the interviews with Burkard Knöpker and Andrea Wommelsdorf are completely convinced of their participation in the project, which is intended to have a signal effect at best. "I became a firefighter to help others. That's actually the aim of the fire department. To be attacked at the very moment you are standing by your fellow human beings is a bitter experience that leaves you stunned and angry. And it gives you a bad feeling in your stomach when you go to the next call-out. I'm a human being and not a paid emergency worker who has to put up with everything," says firefighter Andreas Helmecke, summing up what concerns many of his colleagues.

Maria Frenking from the municipal public order service: "Help without asking who! We emergency services have the willingness and ability to treat people with respect. That's exactly what we are entitled to." Anja Kanis from traffic monitoring adds: "For us as emergency services, it is important to demonstrate transparency in our work with this project. One of our tasks is to resolve conflicts with empathy and justice and to ensure that all people are given the same fair conditions to participate in road traffic. "As emergency services, whether fire department, city or police, we are not just people in uniform who act as bruisers for personal frustration. Inside every uniform is a person who has decided to put aside some of their individual interests and needs for socially important tasks," says police officer Natascha Hanke.

Mayor Westphal: "Make time for this impressive exhibition on your next visit to the city"

Mayor Thomas Westphal emphasizes the importance of the exhibition: "Our employees at the fire department, the public order office and also our colleagues at the police are committed to our safety and our social values every day. We simply cannot accept the increase in violence towards emergency services and law enforcement agencies, as it ultimately harms us all. And above all, it harms the people who stand up for safety and values. The exhibition is intended to stimulate reflection. I can only encourage everyone in Dortmund to take the time to see "The person behind it" in the Berswordthalle the next time they visit the city. I was impressed by the descriptions of the people and their pictures."

Police Commissioner Gregor Lange took a lot of time during the meeting with the "Dortmunder Gesichtern" and the initiators of the "Der Mensch dahinter" exhibition to find out more. "I am delighted that this project has emerged from the heart of the community. Time and again, colleagues have to deal with violent acts of resistance in their day-to-day work. It is not uncommon for police officers to be insulted, spat at or physically assaulted in the worst possible way," says Gregor Lange: "The portraits are photographed in such a way that you really can't avoid eye contact. I found the interlocking of the portrait photos and very personal texts to be very successful. I am delighted that Natascha Hanke immediately agreed to show her face and tell her story. In this way, she conveys the important message that behind the 'shell' of uniform, radio, handcuffs and firearm, there is still a human being."