Twilight years

Werner Zulliger (79) has a smoke break in his room A hundred years ago, a retirement home for farm workers was set up in Oeschberg near Koppigen (in canton Bern). After decades of labouring on local farms, they were able to spend their last years in familiar surroundings and among friends. Photographer Andreas Reeg captured the special atmosphere at Oeschberg, where the residents still work the farm, but for themselves. The photographs are reproduced from "Knechte und Mägde. Das Dienstbotenheim Oeschberg" (Farm workers. The Oeschberg workers' home), which was published this year by Benteli-Verlag, Bern. swissinfo.ch
Werner Zulliger (79) bundles the firewood... swissinfo.ch
... while friends keep everything in good repair swissinfo.ch
The men take turns to milk the cows... swissinfo.ch
... while Vreni Gurtner (66) and Rosemarie Kuhn (57) make sure the clothes are clean swissinfo.ch
Hans Bönzli (75) has more time to enjoy music... swissinfo.ch
... but for Hans Hügli (98) there's no rest until his scythe is razor sharp swissinfo.ch
Alfred Hirschi (76) and Berta bring home the hay swissinfo.ch
Time seems to have stood still swissinfo.ch
Sunday lunch is washed down with red wine swissinfo.ch
Fritz Zimmermann (90) likes an afternoon nap swissinfo.ch