There is a hole in the Beirut apartment of the al-Khodr family where aluminium once hold windows and the balcony door. Their memories are destroyed and so is their trust in the state.

On 4 August, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of the Lebanese capital Beirut. 181 people died, around 6,000 were injured and almost 300,000 lost their homes. A crater with a diameter of 200 meters gaped in the port, the stocks of medicine and wheat were destroyed.

The shredded walls of the granary at the port are almost 900 meters away from the al-Khodr house as the crow flies. Three blue and red loading cranes lined up in front of the Mediterranean can be seen through a large hole in the living room wall. Where aluminum frames once held the window and door to the balcony, the opening stretches from floor to ceiling. Pillows, boxes, carpets and curtain rods are piled up in front of this open-air backdrop.

Printed and published online by the daily newspaper taz.