Tickling your imagination

I came across a photo series today, published in the German magazine “Stern”. Of women in trees (in Germany). Yes, women in trees. The pictures below are part of a photo book by Jochen Raiß with over 100 pictures (Publisher: Hatje Cantz Verlag).

As the Stern article explains: When Jochen Raiß found the first woman in a tree, he thought it was merely a coincidence. A random shot. He loved going to flea markets and to his surprise he found more pictures of women in trees.

After 25 years he had collected over 100. They date from 1920 to 1950. Now, can you imagine how many pictures must have existed if a single person finds over 100 on flea markets?

Back then, people had no cell phones or the internet to communicate such an idea. Nothing has been mentioned in newspapers that would help to understand how this trend could last for 30 years.

Moreover, World War 2 took place from 1939 to 1945.

Why are only women in trees? No pictures of men on trees have been found.

How did the women get up the trees with their high heels and their skirts? And why?

The women on the photos radiate freedom. Happiness. The joy of life.

Long gone are the moments of happiness, many of the women in the pictures are probably not alive anymore. Only a few of the backsides contained a hint about the names of the protagonists.

Was it just the silliness of a generation?

Why were the women in trees? I do not have an answer for you. Just a question.