Eric Bachmann: The one-man water cannon test

In 1969, the Zurich police bought four water cannons. Youth protests had thrown Switzerland’s largest city into unrest, leading to the purchase of these new, special devices. The water cannons were subsequently the subject of intense and controversial popular and media debate. Within this charged atmosphere, the journalist Robert Naef and the photographer Eric Bachmann carried out a daring experiment. Naef repeatedly exposed himself to the unrestrained force of the water cannon, while Bachmann documented the situation photographically. A magnificent historical document resulted, which is now being made public in its entirety for the first time. The one-man water cannon test: an illustrated book about the political atmosphere in late 1960s Zurich and likewise, a timeless narrative about rebels, water-shooting machines, and the state’s monopoly on the use of force.