In Memory of Joseph Kamara

Joseph Kamara was one of the most engaged participants of the project „Unveiling Refugee  Life in Bamberg Through Pictures “. Many of the exhibited pictures were inspired by him  and/or display him. He also presented and discussed the pictures during the „Culture of  Refugees“event in June 2025 in Bamberg. 

Joseph passed away on 29 November 2025 after a period of severe illness. Until his  hospitalisation, he lived in the Ankerzentrum Bamberg. The conditions of the Ankerzentrum  increased his suffering during the time of his illness. 

We thank Joseph for his support, his engagement, his always hopeful spirit, and his endurance  throughout hardship. We keep him in memory with the gratitude that he had towards  everyone who reached out a helping hand to him. 

Joseph was a man of God, but although he wasn’t ordained, he was a kind-hearted man, full  of laughter even in difficulties, a man who answered calls even before the phone could ring  out. He was always on the run to help with the little he could, the only man I have seen so far  who smiled, laughed, and joked whenever he narrated his problems. Whenever things got  harder for him, he even laughed and made jokes until the very day death claimed him. Even in  sick bed he talked about Fotovoice. He told me, “Destiny, don’t worry, I will go with you to  present the photo on the 10th,” but it is so sad that he never lived to the 10th. Now we are  presenting his memory. 

Ankerzentrum was not the cause of his illness, but Ankerzentrum contributed and influenced  him, weakened his immune system. He didn’t only suffer from the illness, but he suffered  brutally from starvation, not because there wasn’t anyone to get him food. I cooked every day  from my home and took the food to the camp (Ankerzentrum), but unfortunately, I was often  denied entry, insisting for someone who was very sick, who could not walk, to come to the  gate to get the food by himself. Sometimes he would try to come get the food but end up  falling from the steps because he was desperate for the food. But despite my effort, still the  securities never allowed him to be given food. This was the word they often said: “No food for  him. If he can’t walk to the gate, he can’t walk to the canteen.” He took strong medication on  an empty stomach. He was denied entry to the health centre inside the Ankerzentrum by the  security’s multiple times. The house master refused to give him a room downstairs. The house  master ignored the letter from the doctor, writing for him to be given a room where he could  easily walk outside because he needed frequent exercise, but he refused to give him the  room. 

Even police supported the security the day I called them to help me get in to give Joseph food  and check up on him. The police asked me to go home with the food, saying that the security  wouldn’t allow me in because it was night. 

Joseph’s death was not only caused by illness but by living in a polluted environment and  starvation, strong medication on an empty stomach, not being able to walk around, falling  from the stairs several times, and being denied entrance to the camp clinic. Ankerzentrum  must be closed.