Ron Hoffer
Escaping from the Wind and Rain, Krakow region, Poland, 1996. Photo by Ron Hoffer
The wind picked up and it started to drizzle during our official visit to the main drinking water reservoir for Krakow, Poland. The male engineers -- both Polish and American - continued to discuss ever-more esoteric issues while their female counterparts slowly moved under a nearby awning. Their laughter at the silliness of the men caught my attention and a quick swivel and snap with my 24mm wide angle lens caught that moment. Cover photo for my new book "From the Bronx to Berlin and Beyond"
Taken at one event during the official celebration of a joint U.S.-Polish project which brought advanced drinking water treatment equipment (ozone disinfection) to the city of Krakow. A commitment made under the George H.W. Bush administration and delivered during the Clinton administration. The head of the U.S. delegation was Bob Perciasepe -- back then the Assistant Administrator for Water and during the Obama years, the EPA Deputy Administrator.
Afternoon tea, Leningrad, 1990. Photo by Ron Hoffer
A portrait of the wife of the Chairman of the Leningrad Central Committee of the Communist Party; other Party spouses in the background. Taken at the "Women's House of Peace and Friendship" -- a large, very well maintained villa in the city center. Clearly for Party elites.
We were extended an invitation on the last afternoon of a joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. conference on water protection held in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) for which I was the U.S. co-chair. Glasnost and perestroika were the buzz words coming from the Soviet Union at this time under Gorbachev, alas accompanied by bread lines and food shortages, even in Leningrad. But we were feted with ample food and drink; a banquet amongst scarcity. I left wondering how long this system of privileges for Party members would last, and what would take it's place. The visit was one of several that shaped my interest in international development.
Vladimir and Elena, Sinatra and Basie, Moscow, 1996. Photo by Ron Hoffer
A portrait of a Russian work colleague and friend with his wife in their apartment on the outskirts of Moscow. Vladimir is showing off one of his prized records, and behind him is a high end stereo system which took years to assemble, with each item another interesting saga. This photo is in my new book "From the Bronx to Berlin and Beyond"
Vladimir was a true devotee of American jazz, and his wife an exceptional cook of traditional Russian cuisine. He was a local counterpart of our joint U.S. EPA and World Bank water project, and became a dear friend. On each mission I tried to visit his modest home near the airport for an evening of relaxation and friendship.
Church renovation and old market, Istra District, Moscow region, 1997. Photo by Ron Hoffer
Funding from the government and newly rich Russians led to visible improvements in some noteworthy landmarks like this church, but there was little improvement in the lives of ordinary Russians. Retirees lamented their better life under Soviet rule.
The U.S. EPA was supporting a water protection project in this region in cooperation with the water utility of Moscow. I was drawn to this image which captures the dichotomy of change in Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This photo is in my new book "From the Bronx to Berlin and Beyond."
Ron Hoffer is a specialist on water and environmental management with over 40 years of professional experience, more than half of which has been on international development projects and policy initiatives. He has worked with the World Bank, the U.S. EPA, state government and in consulting. From modest roots in the Bronx, New York, his work has taken him to Central and Eastern Europe across the former Soviet Union, to Anglophile Africa, Central America, and southern and southeastern Asia. The four photographs on exhibit are a subset of the 85 included in Ron's photo memoir "From the Bronx to Berlin and Beyond" which was published in January 2020 by Kerber-Verlag in Germany. It will be available in the U.S. in October 2020, including locally at Politics and Prose. Media information and a look inside the book can be found at https://www.kerberverlag.com/en/1775/ron-hoffer.