In the courtyard of the museum for work in Hamburg you find a huge drill blade that was used to dig one of the 3.1 km Autobahn tunnels under the river Elbe. I sometimes wonder if that kind of drilling was easier than getting the city to establish and support a museum dedicated to preserve aspects of a vanishing industrial culture. After a slow start in the 1970s it eventually became part of a Hamburg foundation of historical museums in 2008. It is a small, but interesting and diverse museum with always informative and sometimes funky exhibitions. In addition, it offers great educational programs and a permanent exhibit that teaches much about German industrial history.

Come May 25th, you can visit To the Last Drop, a special exhibit showcasing three photographers who won the Greenpeace Photo Award.  http://www.museum-der-arbeit.de/de/sonderausstellungen/bis-zum-letzten-tropfen.htm  All three have documented the impact of climate change and environmental pollution on different areas of our planet. Swiss photographer Manuel Bauer accompanied a Nepalese village that had to move in its entirety to a different region in the Himalayas because of drought. Dmitrij Leltschuk observed the Komi-Ischemzen, nomadic caribou herders in the northern parts of Russia, whose grazing grounds are increasingly polluted by crude oil production. In the 5th part of his project Landrush Uwe Martin documents the effects of the lasting drought in the American West.

To end on a less depressing note, here is a photograph of old posters I took at the museum. I guarantee you that anyone German can relate to the stereotype-affirming instructions…From left to right:

Persistence conquers difficulties – finish what you’ve begun!

A hot temper hurts you and your reputation. Control yourself!

Reliability- punctuality- responsibility – prerequisites for top performance!

Punctuality is better than the best excuse.

Disorder obstructs. Order makes work easier for you and others!