Eric Bachmann (6 March 1940 – 20 February 2019) was a Swiss photographer and photojournalist. He made portraits of Muhammad Ali, Clint Eastwood, Karl Lagerfeld and Patti Smith. In his book Leutschenbach Karambuli Bachmann documented more than 30 years of Swiss television history.Leutschenbach Karambuli. Edition Patrick Frey (in German). Retrieved 2024-02-16.
Life and work 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. 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.Sarasin, David (13 December 2014). "Ali wollte sofort trainieren". So ist es, mit dem grössten Boxer durch Zürich zu ziehen? Der Fotograf Eric Bachmann hat Muhammad Ali während des Aufenthaltes 1971 begleitet. Tages-Anzeiger, Zürich; p. 30.
Bachmann was living in Kaiserstuhl, Aargau, he died on 20 February 2019, aged 78.
Reportage trips 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
Archive and association His archive with an estimated 200,000 negatives and slides was given to his nephew Dominik Bachmann, who is actively administrating and promoting it. Being himself a graphic designer he publishes regularly books with pictures of Eric Bachmann.
Since 2025 the work in the archive is supported by an association which carries the name of the defunt photographer: Eric Bachmann Association.
Individual Publications 1986: So ischs gsi ...: Geschichten aus Kaiserstuhl. Kaiserstuhl: Parterre Amtshaus, 1986; 2002. Text by Heidi Schmid. ISBN 978-3-908013-01-3. 2001: Leutschenbach Karambuli: Perlen aus dem Archiv eines Fernsehfotografen. Zürich: Edition Patrick Frey. Text by Walter Bretscher. ISBN 978-3-905509-35-9. 2014: Muhammad Ali, Zürich, 26.12.1971. Zürich: Edition Patrick Frey. Text by Peter Hartmann, Eugen Sorg. ISBN 978-3-905929-65-2. Zürich: Edition Patrick Frey. English-language version. ISBN 978-3-905929-64-5. 2016: Casa Verdi. Zürich: Edition Patrick Frey. Texts by various authors, English and German. ISBN 978-3-906803-25-8. 2023: The one-man water cannon test, everyedition. ISBN 978-3-907384-06-0. 2025: Patti Smith Group, Live in Zurich, October 1976. everyedition. ISBN 978-3-907384-19-0. 2026: Heidi Abel - Ansage und Engagement. Fotografien von Eric Bachmann. Christoph Merian Verlag, ISBN 978-3-03969-066-4.
Exhibitions
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
References
External links Commons: Pictures of Eric Bachman fotostiftung.ch profile of Bachmann. Eric Bachmann Archive. Eric Bachmann Association. Muhammad Ali, Zurich, 26.12.1971. Photographed by Eric Bachmann. More information and the full documentation.