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© All Rights Reserved. Mareike Timm. 2025

In the seventies and eighties, international adoptions to Sweden were at their height. The children from then are adults today, but a not insignificant part has lived half their life struggling with mental illness.

Daniel is one of them. He was adopted by a Swedish family after given up for adoption by his biological parents. After successfully recovering from a severe alcohol addiction that lasted for more than 15 years, he is now trying to find his biological family in South Korea.

Photographed in May 2022, published in Göteborgs-Posten and Dagen.

 - Mareike Timm | Photo Journalist - For a long time, Daniel pushed away his background as an adoptee in order not to be overwhelmed by strong emotions that this awareness entails.
For a long time, Daniel pushed away his background as an adoptee in order not to be overwhelmed by strong emotions that this awareness entails.
- Mareike Timm | Photo Journalist - The letter from his biological father reached Daniel as a child when living with his adoptive parents in the city of Växjö. At that time Daniel distanced himself from contact with his family of origin in South Korea, because he wanted to fit into Swedish society and be like everyone else. Lately he has been reading the letter often.
The letter from his biological father reached Daniel as a child when living with his adoptive parents in the city of Växjö. At that time Daniel distanced himself from contact with his family of origin in South Korea, because he wanted to fit into Swedish society and be like everyone else. Lately he has been reading the letter often.
- Mareike Timm | Photo Journalist - Daniel is today 42 years old and has been sober for four years. Behind him is a severe alcohol addiction, where he was drunk every night for more than fifteen years.
Daniel is today 42 years old and has been sober for four years. Behind him is a severe alcohol addiction, where he was drunk every night for more than fifteen years.
- Mareike Timm | Photo Journalist - Today Daniel lives in an apartment in Gothenburg and works as an alcohol and drug counselor at a treatment center for addiction. He assumes that the worst is probably over for him.
Today Daniel lives in an apartment in Gothenburg and works as an alcohol and drug counselor at a treatment center for addiction. He assumes that the worst is probably over for him.
- Mareike Timm | Photo Journalist - Daniel has decorated his apartment with many details and it is clear that today he strives to create a nice environment for himself, where earlier empty beer cans could be seen in the apartment.
Daniel has decorated his apartment with many details and it is clear that today he strives to create a nice environment for himself, where earlier empty beer cans could be seen in the apartment.
- Mareike Timm | Photo Journalist - When Daniel was a child, his father often took him out into the forests around Växjö. The father was so fascinated when they came to a root plate that they could stand for a long time and just stare at it in silence. Root plates like this one in Gothenburg still fascinate Daniel today.
When Daniel was a child, his father often took him out into the forests around Växjö. The father was so fascinated when they came to a root plate that they could stand for a long time and just stare at it in silence. Root plates like this one in Gothenburg still fascinate Daniel today.
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