The book was first published in Germany in 1974 by and translated into English a year later. It combined Fleischhauer-Hardt’s psychological commentary with McBride’s large-format black-and-white photographs.
In the years following its release, the approach to sex education continued to evolve. Modern resources often draw a distinction between providing factual biological information and the use of explicit visual media, leading to different standards for educational materials today than those present in the 1970s. 5. The Professional Legacy of Will McBride
Settling in Berlin and later Munich, McBride quickly became a fixture of the European avant-garde. His work for the legendary, provocative youth magazine Twen redefined 20th-century photojournalism. Using his signature Leica camera, McBride captured the visceral, raw energy of a youth culture breaking free from the rigid trauma of post-WWII Germany. zeig mal will mcbride
: She approached Will McBride , an American-born artist who had built a stellar reputation working for European magazines like Life , Paris Match , Stern , and the counter-cultural youth magazine Twen . McBride was already famous for his raw, naturalistic black-and-white photography and his willingness to document youth culture without sanitization.
[1960s: Sexual Revolution Begins] ──> [1971: The Sex Book Published] ──> [1974: Zeig Mal! Released] The book was first published in Germany in
If you have recently stumbled across the German phrase — particularly in online forums, social media comment sections, or art discussion groups — you are not alone. The phrase, which roughly translates from German to "show me Will McBride" or "let’s see Will McBride," has become a curious digital key. It unlocks the door to one of the most controversial, tender, and artistically significant photographic archives of the 20th century.
On the one hand, sexual pedagogues like Gunter Schmidt praised the book for its aesthetic value, calling the images “explicit and discreet at the same time”. For a generation of parents and children, Zeig mal! was a liberating tool that replaced shame with healthy curiosity. On the other hand, the passage in the foreword by psychologist Helmut Kentler, which was later described by some critics as an “unconcealed call for pedophilia,” has forever tainted the project. This, combined with the legal and moral shifts of the 1980s and 1990s, ensured the book’s fate was sealed. Modern resources often draw a distinction between providing
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.
“You see?” Will said. “That’s what your father meant.”
The controversial 1975 photography book Zeig Mal! by American photographer Will McBride remains one of the most debated publications in the history of visual arts and psychology. Translated into English as Show Me!, the book was intended as a progressive tool for sex education but eventually became a lightning rod for legal battles and ethical discussions regarding the depiction of children.
In several jurisdictions, possession or distribution of the book was legally challenged under evolving child pornography statutes. Publishers eventually ceased printing the book to avoid criminal prosecution.