SPIEGEL ONLINE: Ms. Skubatz , They lived for several months on a fjord in eastern Iceland, near Solbrekka, a village with only eight inhabitants. How did that happen?

Skubatz: After graduation I really wanted to go to nature - and to Iceland. On the Internet, I happened to find a woman who lives on this fjord and needed help on her farm. I went there in 2012 and stayed for eight months. That's how I got to know the inhabitants of Solbrekka.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: These people are at the center of your illustrated book "The Priest's Ravine". What fascinated you about them?

Skubatz: Most of their community, how close everyone works together and how familiar everything is there. They help each other, are very cordial and all are closely connected with the place. Although the villagers have to face many challenges on a daily basis, they do not leave.

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Marzene Skubatz:
The Priest's Ravine

another place press; 48 pages, 18 euros

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Some have already left. There were 18 people living there during their time there.

Skubatz: Yes, there are only three families left.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: So what are the challenges that you are talking about?

Skubatz: Everyday life in Solbrekka is not easy. People are very dependent on the weather and nature, because they are always working outside. And they can only earn money through sheep farming and fishing - that's why the others have moved away.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Would not tourism be a good source of income?

Skubatz: You do not do much to attract tourists there. For example, there are hardly any opportunities to spend the night at the fjord, and no restaurant. Even if the villagers could earn money with it: they prefer to rest.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Do the inhabitants feel anything of the tourism boom in Iceland?

Skubatz: You notice that there are significantly more tourists than before. But few still come to them because the pass to Solbrekka is not easy to navigate. You need a good car - and courage. In winter, the road is not passable.

photo gallery


14 pictures

Living in seclusion: Icelandic village in the fjord Mjoifjordur

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Why did all your photos only come out in autumn and winter?

Skubatz: I find these seasons the most exciting, because the mood during these months is very different. Solbrekkas residents are then relatively cut off from the outside world. You can only reach the nearest fjord by boat because the pass is snowed. And if they are too cold, they are even completely isolated. But people are used to this loneliness. They are then very introverted and calm.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: But how was that for you? Otherwise they live in Berlin and lead a completely different life there.

Skubatz: Yes, but that's exactly why I wanted to go there, because it is just as contrary to my everyday life. For me it was very decelerating, that's what I was looking for. But you have to be the type for it. Personally, I can handle it quite well.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Sometimes the Internet and the telephone on the fjord fail for weeks. Did not you miss that?

Skubatz: It did not bother me, I did not need that there. This allowed me to better focus on my work. For the people it is very bad, because they call every day. My hostess even climbed the roof once to free the antenna from the snow.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What did you miss most in the time?

Skubatz: In Berlin, I just have to go out of the house, and already I have a huge food offer. That was sometimes difficult at the fjord, especially because I did not eat meat. There are only things that can be stored longer, so the variety is not that big. But I still got on well with it. I also knew that it would not be permanent and that at some point I would return to Berlin. In the long term I would miss the art and cultural offer.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What is the future of Solbrekka?

Skubatz: It will not be long before nobody will live there anymore. That's why I want to capture this place with my pictures as it is now - as something special. It has become a home for me, I feel very connected to people. As long as you live there, I will go there once a year.