Josef Ritler
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Josef Ritler (* 1939 in Naters, canton of Valais), also called by short forms „Sepp Ritler“ or „Seppi Ritler“, is a legendary Swiss journalist, who photographed and wrote 40 years for the newspaper Blick (yellow press, very equivalent to the German Bild-Zeitung). Today, he works as a video-journalist at Central Switzerland television station Tele Tell.
[edit] Life
Ritlers stems from the canton of Valais. First he went to the primary school of his place of birth, Naters. But because of his class-mates beating him up often, he had to change to a school in Brig. During his leisure time, the boy often assisted his father, who was a foreman. He wanted to have the same profession, when older. So, to become a foreman, too, he had to be a mason, first. But in this apprenticeship, he learnt, that he had an allergy to cement. But he discovered his passion for photography and began photographing everything, that crossed his way. He went to Lucerne, because there it was possible to get one of the seldom photography apprenticeships. When Ritler accidentally photographed the set of the filmers, that were producing an army propaganda film for the Swiss national exhibition "Expo 64", the "Blick" got keen on having Ritler as a journalist. The then chief editor Werner Schollenberger asked him, if he wanted to write for him, starting from then on. Ritler hesitated, because the "Blick" had/has the reputation of an inserious trash paper. He then accepted the job offer, but limited to one year. Later this single year became forty years, that Ritler was serving "Blick".
The Journalist managed it, to be something like an intermediary between the traditional people Central Switzerland and the rather modern and fast Zürich team of the "Blick". Further, Ritler's character is coined by an immense curiosity - that brought him trouble, too: He was hunted by farmers with muckrakes, his tires were slit, he was received threats on his life. Temporary, he only could work under police protection.
One of Ritler's attributes is his curiosity for the "people behind the headlines". When a member of a vigilante group made a show of a chainsaw, Ritler wanted to know, what type of man does something like that.
Ritler never wanted to know the superficial facts, he only wanted to know authentic news. Because of that, he often held interviews after the conferences, not while. When the Kapellbrücke stood on fire, Ritler was there.
In the age of 64, Ritler got retired early (one year before regular Swiss retirement age) and had to leave the "Blick". He has got a lot of job offers and finally accepted the offer of Tele Tell, where he now works as a video-journalist.
For the first time, Ritler works for TV and with camcorders, the animated picture. In the young team, Ritler counts as an "absolute pro, who knows Central Switzerland like no one else" and who has an "eye for the perfect picture".
[edit] Awards
- 1997 "Swiss Press Foto"
- 2003 "Ringier Medienpreis"
[edit] Links
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ritler, Josef |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Ritler, Sepp |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | writing and photographing Swiss Journalist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1939 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Naters, Valais |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
