Die Deutschen

René Burri
Die Deutschen

Photographs: René Burri

Text: Hans Bender

Publisher: Fretz & Wasmuth

170 pages

Pictures: 80

Year: 1962

Comments: Hardcover under dust jacket, 195 x 220 mm. First true edition, 1962. Gravure printing. Text in german. Minor edgewear to the extremities of the dust jacket. Book is clean and rare in this condition. Reproductions very well preserved. In very good condition overall. Included in The Photobook by Parr & Badger, vol.1, p.218. Collectible.

The photography world recently lost one of its legends. Swiss photographer René Burri, the grand signor of the Magnum photographers, passed away on the 20th of October 2014 at the age of 81. Our paths crossed couple of times over the years and I feel privileged to have met this great artist. His first book Die Deutschen was published by Fretz & Wasmuth (Zürich) in 1962, followed by the French edition Les Allemands, published by Robert Delpire in 1963.

The rather small landscape format publication is reminiscent of Robert Frank’s classic The Americans in both layout and format. Burri's images are a portrait of the post World War II spirit in Germany. A mix of youthful spirit and history-tainted optimism, conspicuous by the absence of an entire generation. Burri's photographs of the emerging youth, hungry for life, are in obvious contrast to those showing the older generations, so obviously still affected and damaged by war. A portrait of a nation in the process of constructing a new identity. Burri's photographic approach is classic “Magnum”.

Andreas Bitesnich, Achtung photography

www.achtung.photography