Broken Window Theory / mediadrumworld.com

By Ben Wheeler

EERIE FOOTAGE and photographs have revealed a derelict doctor’s surgery which has stood abandoned since his death almost thirty years ago.

The haunting images show a variety of medical equipment such as beds, stools and even an operating light still standing in the surgery.

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Additional snaps reveal the Dr Klaus Kraft’s living quarters which are littered with hundreds of books and journals, items of clothing and a spooky looking grand piano amongst various other household items.

They were taken by urban explorers, Marco Gasparic and Till Aufschlager (both 23), in Hessen, Germany, where Dr Kraft lived and practiced as a specialist in urology before his death in 1988.

“The place had a really stunning effect on me as it’s rare to explore a property which still has so much furniture in it, it may have been trashed and vandalised over time but it gives the place a kind of post-apocalyptic atmosphere, wandering through the building was like travelling through time,” said Till.

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“This place is one of the most coveted abandoned buildings in Germany now so unfortunately trophy hunters have already helped themselves to plenty of times already,” added Marco.

“What makes the building such a special attraction among urbex enthusiasts is its mysterious history.

“There are several tales of it going around that has led to the property being known as the ‘Horror mansion’ or ‘The house of Dr. Pain.’

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“It is said that Kraft had two children, a son and also a daughter who allegedly committed suicide in mysterious circumstances, whilst Dr Kraft himself died in a car crash near the surgery.”

The pair also discussed the complexities of the shoot itself and their personal highlights from it.

“I particularly like the frontal view of the library, the bookshelf kind of gives a frame to the picture and I can imagine how the doctor sat in the armchair after a long day smoking a pipe and reading his books,” Till said.

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“I also really love the shot of the piano, an old Grotrian Steinweg. It’s such a beautiful instrument, time has left its mark on it, nevertheless it’s still in pristine condition.

“If you look closely there’s an open songbook sat on it with a traditional German Christmas carol, it’s almost as if somebody had a music lesson there yesterday.

“There were some challenging aspects of the shoot as the building is extremely ramshackle, in a couple of rooms the walls and ceiling have collapsed and the floor sounded dangerously unstable in spots, so we had to move very carefully,” Marco stated.

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“Every exploration we do is unique which means we discover new things and stories all the time which is why I love to photograph these abandoned places.

“Decay fascinates me, the way it creates an illusion around you and we also want to capture how exploring the building makes us feel which is sometimes that we are the last people on earth.”

Broken Window Theory / mediadrumworld.com