Leuna Road

Leuna Road at Night

Photography / 2006

Leuna is a town located at the Saale river near Merseburg in Saxony-Anhalt. The town has become known, above all, by its chemical industry. The factory had been founded already in 1916 and was favoured with the vicinity of the Geiseltal opencast brown coal mine. During the World War I the demand for nitrogen had continuously increased and the production of ammonia, made it possible not only to obtain fertilizers in masses, but also to produce enormous quantities of explosives. After the war the destructions were overcome within short time because the chemical industry prospered also in the GDR, the demand for plastics produced at low costs was great. In the 1980ies the „Leuna II“ petroleum refinery was established. After the political turn this refinery was taken over by the French mineral oil concern Elf Aquitaine, due to circumstances which have not fully been clarified till today. Here in the near Halle, „Leuna“ is a synonym for unknown and unpredictable things...