The settlement of Colosova near to the Ukrain border.
Preparing for the ceremony of the Day of the Defender of the Fatherland. The parades, songs, dances and tokens from the Soviet era have turned to today’s memorabilia.
Youngsters often hesitate to start a relationship in their own community. If you bind yourself locally, it is much harder to leave.
Bridesmaids at the shore of the Dniestr river. October is a popular period to get married; still warm like summer and full of beautiful fall colors.
Construction backlog at 25 October street, Tiraspol’s main street.
Photobook at the public library. The parades, songs, dances and tokens from the Soviet era have turned to today’s memorabilia.
Children rehearse at the House of Culture. Every village in Transnistria has still its own House of Culture as an important anchor point for the community. The Houses of Culture were introduced in the early days of the Soviet Union, to aid the "cultural leisure" of Soviet workers and children
Children prepare for 1 May celebration.
Children prepare for 1 May celebration.
Photo of schoolclass of 1972-1973 at a countryside school. Due to migration, tthis school only has 33 pupils.
Growing up in Transnistria is challenging. The opportunities are unequal. Due to continued economic hardship many parents have migrated (in 2015 15 per cent of the working population left the region permanently).
Doing homework. Rural schools are running empty. Some classes only have 2 students.
Mother and son get off the bus at a local village shop. The countryside depopulates the fastest.
Countryside family.
Farewell in the youth disco at the House of Culture. Youngsters are leaving their hometown massively to study in Chisinau, Moscow, Bucharest or Kiev. Living standards abroad act as a pull factor.
On the way to Chisinau.
Crossing the Moldovan River Dnjestr brings you into Transnistria, a narrow sliver of land sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine. Over the past two centuries, Transnistria changed rulers six times. Ottomans, Germans, Romanians, Russians, and Moldovans all left deep traces there.
When Romanian-speaking Moldova became independent in 1991, Russian-speaking Transnistria declared independence for fear of language discrimination. A bloody civil war followed, ending with a cease-fire and a frozen conflict. With the war in neighbouring Ukraine, geopolitical cards are being reshuffled. Will the fragile Transnistria end up in the geopolitical East or West?
I visited Transnistria for the first time in 2018. I found an unrecognised state with a pro-Russian government that displayed hard-hitting propaganda. During the following trips, I saw almost every corner and regularly ended up at the kitchen table. I began to notice other things, such as the strong inner freedom of the Transnistrians. I also saw a young generation hopeful about the future.
In This Bittersweet Life, I combine the results of my six years of travel to Transnistria in documentary photography with compelling narrative nonfiction.
PRODUCTION
| Production details: | This Bittersweet Life | Slowdocs Publishers | hardcover Photography and text: Paul van der Stap Publication date: 10 May 2025 Graphic Design: Jeremy Jansen Lithography: Marc Gijzen Editor: Elisa Veini Printing: NPN Printing Dimensions: 17.5 x 23.5 cm | 256 pages ISBN: 978 9 08093 759 8 (English Edition) | 45€ ISBN: 978 9 08093 758 1 (Dutch Edition) | 40€ |
| Order book: | Slowdocs Publishers – webshop |
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| Special thanks to: | Team Tiraspol |