Zigaretten nach Berlin (eng. Cigarettes to Berlin), 2023, c-print on aluminium, 205 x 70 cm.
The fall of the iron curtain was not merely marked by the advent of a free market and democratic elections in Eastern Europe; it heralded a multitude of profound societal transformations. The emergence of a capitalist system and the subsequent redistribution of wealth brought forth new social classes, effectively reshaping the landscape of Poland. Within this shifting dynamic, Edward Nowak, the protagonist of the acclaimed Polish series “The Tigers of Europe," seemingly personifies fortuitousness. In the song “Zigaretten nach Berlin”, Edward Rywiński, the actor who portrays Nowak, embarks by enumerating the accumulation of his acquired status over the years: two Korean bodyguards, a prestigious stable housing a horse of note, a safari wherein an elephant is the target of his marksmanship, luxury vehicles, Versace ties, and a collection of paintings. Alas, these possessions, albeit procured through his own means, elicit a sense of ennui rather than joy.
Nonetheless, a sentimental tear betrays his composure as he utters the phrase “Zigaretten nach Berlin”, reminiscing about the times he spent with his wife, Kryśka, in their humble Fiat Bambino. Memories of cigarette smuggling, her at the wheel, and their shared moments of slumber within the confines of the car, all while exploring the nascent German capital, flood his thoughts. Yearning for comprehension, he implores, "Verstehen Sie," seeking assurance that his narrative is intelligible to his audience. Nowak, it seems, has inadvertently received his own brand of punitive destiny, becoming the embodiment of his aspirations. Or perhaps, his penance is for not discerning the true nature of his desires.
During that era, Jin Ling emerged as the most popular contraband cigarette brand. Acquired by the Baltic Tobacco Company, a Kaliningrad-based manufacturer, in 1997, it was subsequently introduced to the European market. Despite its lawful production, Jin Ling cigarettes were never intended for official distribution within the European Union or Russia. Instead, they could only be procured through illicit means. Vietnamese street vendors would peddle the product outside supermarkets and railway stations in Berlin. The contraband was sourced from wholesalers in Poland, and smuggled across the Polish border by intermediaries. Among them were my father and grandfather, who, fortunately, did not ascend to the ranks of the Tigers of Europe, as my father fell victim to the watchful eyes of the German police.
Today, I carry on their legacy, albeit within a different context. Yet, I sometimes ask myself: “What might my father have become had the police not intervened that day? What form would his unique penance have taken, akin to the punishment befitting a character from the Wildean realm?”
Lukas Bury