(01) They Called Us the Halbstarken (”Sie nannten uns die Halbstarken”)

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Artist’s book

28 cm x 22.5 cm, 140 pages, Hardcover
English / German text
Printed on 170 g/m² Silk paper
First edition of 25 copies

I met Franz-Josef on an ordinary day in Essen. At 80 years old, his apartment is the living reflection of a well-lived life—filled with the enduring echoes of a time when he was part of the Halbstarken, a group of rebellious young men caught in the pulsating heart of 1950s and 60s rock 'n' roll and motorcycle culture.

Franz-Josef’s living space resembles a personal museum, where every corner offers a portal into the past. Photographs, salvaged ephemera, and curated objects tell the story of his youth and the world he once inhabited. A central pillar of this documentary project is the exploration of his private archive, which—alongside the physical space itself—serves as the narrative backbone of the work. The phrase "Sie nannten uns die Halbstarken" ("They called us the half-strong"), discovered within his archive, became the title of the project, weaving a continuous thread through his personal history.

Following his quiet routines over several months, the resulting images capture the tender, reflective dignity of a man whose heart still beats to the rhythm of his youth. The project is a portrait of an unlikely friendship, the passing of time, and the quiet weight of aging. The format allowed for a flexible, intimate approach, reflecting not only Franz-Josef’s vibrant past but also the delicate, contemplative way he lives today in the shadow of the man he once was.

First published in 2024, Sie nannten uns die Halbstarken is a 124-page photobook (280 mm x 225 mm) that crystallises this exploration of memory, identity, and nostalgia serving as a lasting homage to a life shaped by an unforgettable era of postwar youth rebellion.