The Halbstarke: Switzerland’s Rebel Youth of the 1960s (26 photos)

Emerging in 1950s and '60s Switzerland, the Halbstarke subculture brought together rebellious, rock-'n'-roll-loving youth who were truly in a league of their own. Sexually liberated and fueled by alcohol and illicit substances, these young rebels roamed the Alps on motorcycles, blasted music, and got into fights. They also craved media attention, leaving behind a fascinating visual record of their wild lifestyle.





Swiss photographer Karlheinz Weinberger became the ultimate chronicler of this rebellious youth movement. Yet despite his chosen subject, Weinberger himself led a remarkably respectable life. Far from a professional photographer, he spent most of his career working as an ordinary warehouse manager at a Siemens facility in Zurich.



In his off-hours, however, Weinberger transformed into an "extraordinary photographer"—the very term he used to describe his style, even printing it on his business cards. Starting in 1955, Karlheinz traveled across Switzerland in search of unconventional subjects for his camera.





Luck was on his side, as this coincided with the rise of the Halbstarke. Friendly and outgoing, the young man with a camera easily won over these counterculture crews. The teens eagerly posed for Weinberger, allowing him to capture hundreds of striking shots showcasing the subculture’s most vibrant personalities.



At times, fame-hungry Halbstarke kids would literally besiege the photographer's apartment in Zurich, saving him the trouble of hunting for models. In exchange for posing, his young subjects were rewarded with cold beers straight from his fridge.



Naturally, things didn't always go smoothly, and drunken guests would occasionally break into brawls right in Karlheinz’s home. The photographer took it all in stride, viewing the damage as a necessary cost of doing business.