Deeply Rooted

“Deeply Rooted” is a documentary photography project about the Sorbian minority in Germany during a crucial period of its history: the structural change brought about by the eventual closure of lignite open-cast mines by 2038.

The Sorbian minority is one of four official minorities in Germany. They are a West Slavic ethnic group predominantly inhabiting one of the country’s most intensive lignite mining regions: Lusatia, between the German federal states Brandenburg and Saxony. In the last 50 years, 136 towns have disappeared as the land was needed to expand the mines.

In response to this identity crisis, Sorbians are creating opportunities to preserve their heritage, such as language revitalization. Being a Sorbian nowadays means belonging to a minority that is proud of their traditions and that has withstood gruesome events during its history, such as assimilation attempts during the Nazi regime and the intensified lignite mining during the Communist rule.

Astrid Scheuermann

Astrid Scheuermann (born in Panama City, in 1993) is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Berlin.

Born and raised in two cultures (Germany and Panama), Astrid studied journalism and audiovisual production at Universidad Latina in Panama City from where she graduated with honors. In September 2015, she moved to the United Kingdom to earn a Master’s degree in Film, Photography, and Media at the University of Leeds, successfully completed with merit in December 2016.

Astrid’s short documentary film “1989” competed in several film festivals around the globe, and earned three prizes. Her work has been published in several publications including GEO, Berliner Zeitung, Märkische Oderzeitung, Südwest Presse, and Lausitzer Rundschau.

Her photographic and filmmaking practice is centered around major topics such as cultural diversity, identity, the relationship between humans and the environment, and collective memory.