My brother Hans was 38 years old when he was found dead in a Berlin hotel room. He had suffered acardiac arrest, caused by drugs. His death was a fact, the way he died a taboo. For years and years,we -his family -didnot speakopenly about his addictions.
But I had so many questions to ask Hans. Why did youget addicted,whynotme? What happened that made you becomeaddicted? How does addictionfeel? Could I have done anything to prevent it?
With this book I am breakingthe taboo. Thebook reflects my feelings, thoughts and memories during my search for answersto the questions I could not ask Hans anymore. I visited Berlin, studied our family albums and talked to many people who dealt with addictions.
The book will be accompanied bya video installation in which people who recovered from addiction answer my questions instead of my brother. Their story will be published in this book. It shows the human being behind addiction.