As both an artist’s book and an archive book, this publication also introduces an important and poignant theme of German history. On show are the most diverse types of bunkers, built in particular during World War II between 1940 and 1944. When he began his documentary project, the Cold War period was almost over, and the concrete buildings were no longer needed for civil defense purposes. Even more so than in the past, they appeared like outlandish and uncanny monsters within the cityscapes. This topic also informs us about the extent of these ­construction activities during World War II. Becker has photographed around 700 ­bunkers in more than 40 West German cities. He based the series on overground bunkers, so-called Hochbunker, on a ­method similar to the conceptual approach by artist couple Bernd and Hilla Becher. The volume at hand allows an ­exemplary look at a theme that was worked out in the circle of the so-called Becher School, and for Boris Becker, represented a significant starting point for his further work with the medium of photog­raphy.

Roland Augustin is art historian, curator, and lecturer at the Institut für Kunstgeschichte of the University of the Saarland. Gabriele Conrath-Scholl is director of Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur, Cologne. She curates and writes on topics of contemporary as well as historical artistic photographers positions.