Photo . Joachim Rissmann
December 2013 . Berlin
I was happy to make a portrait of the owner of the Hotel Bogota Joachim Rissmann in his office before the move: since three generations the family Rissmann managed the Hotel. Because of rent rising, the Hotel is now definitely closing down its doors on the 18th of December. The Hotel Bogota had an extraordinary history beginning 1911 during Berlins Jazz Age. The photographer Helmut Newton learned his trade at a studio on the fifth floor during the 1930’s, starting as an assistant for the famous German fashion photographer Yva. During the years of the second world war the Nazis turned it into their Third Reich Chamber of Culture headquarters, but in 1945 the Chamber of Artist was founded there and the first Art Exhibition after war took place there. Over the years the Hotel Bogota saw film stars, rock stars and tourists soaking there just next to the Berlin's premier shopping street Kurfürstendamm
