Eric Bachmann

• Name — Eric Bachmann • Born — 6 March 1940 • Birthplace — Zürich, Switzerland • Died — 20 February 2019 • Place of death — Bad Zurzach, Switzerland • Occupation — Photographer, photojournalist

Eric Bachmann began his career in photography with an apprenticeship at Johannes Meiner's studio. From 1959 onwards, Eric Bachmann was involved in setting up the photography department of the Swiss television DRS. In 1962 he became self-employed. As a freelance photographer, he supplied magazines, magazines and newspapers with images about politics and culture for more than 50 years. Bachmann went on reporting trips all over the world. He documented Albert Schweitzer's funeral in Lambarene, the Rwandan genocide and numerous underwater expeditions in the Red Sea. Eric Bachmann was not yet 30 when Zurich's cultural tensions erupted in 1968. The young freelance photographer had just returned from an assignment in Venice when he arrived at Zurich Main Station and heard the megaphones. He unpacked his camera instead of going home and spent the night photographing the events, even attracting police attention. His most striking image, taken on Bahnhofbrücke, shows the opposing sides: law-and-order defenders facing rebellious youth. The photo appeared in the National-Zeitung and Vorwärts. In 2024, the Eric Bachmann Fotoarchiv commissioned a new print for publication, and a copy was added to the Swiss National Museum. • Illustration — In December 1971, before his fight against Jürgen Blin in the Hallenstadion, Muhammad Ali was training on the Uetliberg in Zurich. Photographer Eric Bachmann captured this moment. In December 1971, Muhammad Ali visited Zürich to compete in a prize fight against German Jürgen Blin. Bachmann accompanied Muhammad Ali during ten days, even during training sessions on the snow covered Uetliberg. Bachmann was living in Kaiserstuhl, Aargau, he died on 20 February 2019, aged 78. • Illustration — Eric Bachmann has lived in this house in Kaiserstuhl, Switzerland, since 1977.

From 1959 to 2017, Eric Bachmann undertook numerous international journeys, during which a large part of his photographic work was created. His reportage trips took him across Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Early travels included • 1959 – England: Bournemouth, London, Portsmouth, Southampton • 1963 – Iran: Tehran · Thailand: Bangkok, South Thailand, Chiang Mai, North Thailand · Burma: Inle Lake, Rangoon · Cambodia: Angkor · Malaysia: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur · Vietnam • 1964 – Nepal: Kathmandu · India: Calcutta, New Delhi · Lebanon: Beirut • 1965 – Gabon: Lambaréné • 1966 – Red Sea Expedition · Czechoslovakia • 1967 – Yugoslavia · Cyprus · Italy (Malta) · Albania: Berat, Durrës, Shkodër, Tirana • 1968 – Czechoslovakia • 1969 – Israel • 1970 – USA: New York, Florida · Haiti · Jamaica · Barbados · Bahamas · Guadeloupe · Dominican Republic • 1971 – Spain · Morocco · Tunisia • 1972 – South Africa: Durban, Johannesburg, Ximba · Botswana · Uruguay · Argentina · Chile • 1973 – Peru · Paraguay · Bolivia: La Paz · Brazil • 1975 – Yugoslavia • Illustration — Albania Skutari 1967 • Illustration — Myanmar Rangun 1963 • Illustration — Peru Lake Titicaca 1973 • Illustration — Vietnam Saigon 1969 • Illustration — Myanmar Inlay Lake 1963 • Illustration — Pakistan Karachi 1963 • Illustration — Jerusalem 1971 • Illustration — Nepal Bodnath 1964 • Illustration — Nepal Kathmandu 1964 • Illustration — Peru Putina 1973 • Illustration — Peru Lake Langui Layo 1973 • Illustration — Vietnam Saigon 1969

• 1978: Rhein-Brücken, Amtshaus, Kaiserstuhl • 1986: So ischs gsi. Geschichten aus Kaiserstuhl, Amtshaus, Kaiserstuhl • 1992: Shetland and Leningrad im Winter, Globus, Zürich • 1996: Gränichen Wald, Chornhuus, Gränichen • 2014: L'Homme dans le monde – Der Mensch in der Welt, Photobastei et al., Zürich; Lausanne; Gex • 2018: Now You See Me! – Muhammad Ali (1942–2016), Bildhalle, Zürich • 2019: Canvetto Cultura, Fondazione Diamante, Lugano • 2023: The one-man water cannon test, BBA Gallery, Berlin • 2024: The one-man water cannon test, Architektur Forum Ostschweiz, St. Gallen • 2024: Wild Card 20 – dieses buch ist gratis, Strauhof Literaturmuseum, Zürich • 2024: Politik der Strasse and other projects, Die Diele, Zürich