German war hero Annika at her farm for struggling veterans: Jan Kraus’s best photograph
She was in Germany’s biggest battle since the second world war, but the army took years to recognise her PTSD. Annika now runs a farm with pigs and geese where struggling veterans come to stay
TL;DR
- Annika Schröder served in the German military for almost 20 years, experiencing significant trauma during the "Good Friday Battle" in Afghanistan.
- She struggled for over a decade to receive recognition from the Bundeswehr for her severe PTSD and was discharged due to unfitness for duty.
- Schröder now operates a veteran farm outside Leipzig, focusing on self-sufficiency with animals and providing a supportive environment for other veterans with PTSD.
- Photographer Jan Kraus's series explores the duality of uniformed individuals as state representatives and private citizens, photographing them in their homes.
- The project aimed to foster understanding and dialogue, highlighting connections found with service members despite a left-leaning background.
- Anastasia Biefang, a transgender military leader, is also featured in the series, having been the first openly transgender battalion commander in the German military.