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Published in 1974 by the Youth Service Publishing House in Wuppertal, a publisher affiliated with the Protestant Church, the book was an immediate sensation. It featured photographs of children, pre-teens, and teens exploring their bodies, discovering masturbation, and observing the physical changes of puberty. The photographs were accompanied by the children's own comments, creating a sense of authenticity and directness. The book was supported by an appendix with explanatory text for parents from Fleischhauer-Hardt.
The book highlighted the importance of scientific, shame-free sex education, a concept that became more mainstream in later decades. zeig mal will mcbride
To understand Zeig Mal! , one must understand the unique historical landscape of West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The nation was undergoing a profound cultural shift. The younger generation sought to dismantle the rigid, conservative, and often repressive social taboos of the pre-war era. The Authors and the Vision
Born in St. Louis in 1931, McBride moved to Berlin in 1953 as a young G.I. and artist. Unlike his contemporaries who shot the ruins of war from a distance, McBride dove into the rubble. He saw beyond the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) and focused on the messy, real life happening in the cracks: teenagers in leather jackets, children splashing in fountains, and the quiet anxiety of the Cold War. I’m unable to write a full article on
“Klaus,” Will said, standing up. “You want me to show you something real? Help me carry my bag.”
As of 2025, the digital search for remains a gray area. While original vintage copies of the 1969 book are sold on rare book sites (Abebooks, eBay Kleinanzeigen) for hundreds of euros, PDF scans are illegal to distribute in jurisdictions where the book remains indexed. The photographs were accompanied by the children's own
Direct, empathetic, sometimes provocative. He photographed teenagers and young adults with a sense of freedom, vulnerability, and authenticity—neither pornographic nor coldly clinical. His lighting and composition often feel cinematic but unposed.
The 1974 photo book (released in English as Show Me! in 1975) stands as one of the most controversial, heavily debated, and influential publications in the history of photography and progressive pedagogy. Created by American photographer Will McBride in collaboration with German psychologist Dr. Helga Fleischhauer-Hardt , the book was originally conceived as an open, honest, and healthy guide to sex education for children and their parents.
Despite receiving awards from church organizations and being initially praised for its openness, the book faced severe legal challenges: