12th February 1945; Lithograph over Monoprint, 62 x 88 cms, Unique, 2013.

The title of this print refers to the day before the bombing of Dresden by Allied forces, which took place during four raids between 13th and 15th February 1945.
The weather was unusually good for the time of year, warm and spring-like. The following day was Shrove Tuesday, when the carnival linked to the Fasching festivities took place. The bridges over the river Elbe stood firm, as did my grandparents’ house Werderstrasse 44 in the suburb of Plauen.

In this print, the spectacular circular staircase of the Art Academy stands as a metaphor for the terrifying vortex into which the city was about to swirl, a plan already formulated in the Royal Air Force’s flight path map. Neither the old stone bridges nor Werderstrasse 44 would survive the night.