Shortlist, Measure and Middle by Ingmar Björn Nolting

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out in favour of a ‘measure and middle’ approach to the Covid-19 pandemic. At that point, in February 2020, with fewer than 50 confirmed infections in Germany, large parts of our population did not believe the virus could harm us; we have one of the best healthcare systems and the strongest market economy in Europe. Nevertheless, the virus spread rapidly. The country closed its borders, imposed contact bans and distance regulations. The lockdown began. My project is a journey through Germany during the first wave of Covid-19; it took me 9,000km through the country in order to create a coherent and personal document of the situation. Measure and Middle examines the state of German society – a nation that is often associated with bureaucracy, control and order – during an exceptional time of crisis.