The Story of Pyroman Ludwig

“I live in ashes …”. The man, who I’m following, merges with the darkness of the ruins of an old farmhouse near Nový Bydžov. He has lived here for more than a decade, even in winter when the temperature drops down to minus twenty degrees Celsius. Living out of the village, all by himself, the only connection with others is the need to get his groceries once a day in 2 km distanced store. Social workers give him daily ration of food for a hundred crowns.

I brought him an old jacket and jumper for the winter – it’s useless anyway. He suffers from a mental disorder which shows by covering himself with ashes and burning everything that comes into his hand, including his clothes. “I’m lying all dressed into hot ashes. I just roll carefuly and wrap up myself with it to warm me up. “