Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

  1. Home
  2. |
  3. Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

Categories: Europe | World

In 1959, Swedish photographer Christer Stromholm moved to the Pigalle area in Paris. There, in the darkest hours of the night, he wandered the streets, but not just as a traveler, but as a participant in night actions. There he met transsexuals from Place Blanche. Three people, biologically born men, were forced to flee to Paris from their hometowns without finding understanding. But life wasn't much easier in Paris either.

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

France at that time was ruled by General Charles de Gaulle, who led the French troops in World War II. Both he and his wife, Yvonne, were staunch Catholics with conservative views, so the spirit of puritanism reigned in the country. It is said that it was "Aunt Yvonne" who revived the 330-year-old law on the punishment of rulers who allowed prostitution on their land.

Living next to prostitutes in the Pigalle district, Stromholm honed the art of night photography. When they were going to work, the photographer did the same. In his arsenal were Tri-X films, a Leica camera and a piece of pipe that replaced a tripod, and on the boulevard from Place Pigalle to Place Blanche he caught elusive moments of beauty.

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

1. Suzanne, Pierro Hotel, 1962. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

2. Gina, Place Blanche, 1963. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

3. Nana, Place Blanche, 1959. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

4. Place Blanche, late 1950. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

5. Fete foraine, 1954-55. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

6. Julia and Carol, 1964. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

7. Cobra and Caprice, 1961. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

8. Themis, 1963. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

9. Sabrina, 1967. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

10. Sabrina, 1967. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

11. Victoire, 1968. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

12. Nana, 1959. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

13. Jackie, Kustu Street, 1959. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

14. Miriam, Nana, Jackie, Gina and Sabrina, 1959. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

15. Maxi, 1963. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

16. Mimosa, Pierro Hotel, 1963. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

17. Sabrina and the Cobra, 1962. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

18. Nana, Jackie, Adele Chanel. Blanche Metro Station, 1961. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

19. Carol and Nana, 1960. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

20. Carla and Zizu, Brasserie Graff, 1963. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s

21. Belinda, 1967. (Christer Strömholm—Agence VU—Aurora Photos)

Keywords: 50s | 60s | Night shooting | Paris | Prostitutes | Transsexuals | France

Post News Article
« previous Sleepless nights in the red light district: how french transsexuals lived in the early 60s next »

Recent articles

Lifetime burial: why do people volunteer yourself buried
Lifetime burial: why do people volunteer yourself buried

Among the various spiritual practices popular in our days, there is a very unusual and even scary. What do you think, to give ...

The shame of the Ford family, or Why Adolf Hitler awarded the car magnate the Iron Cross
The shame of the Ford family, or Why Adolf Hitler awarded the ...

Surprisingly, Adolf Hitler was a passionate admirer of Henry Ford. There was a portrait of the brilliant American in the Fuhrer's ...

"The Mongolian struggle is like going to war"
"The Mongolian struggle is like going to war"

In the nomadic communities where 30% of the population of Inner Mongolia lives, the ancient art of special struggle — beh ...

Related articles

Tokyo of the 1950s in color images
Tokyo of the 1950s in color images

I've never been to Tokyo, although I was going to. The city does not shine with its architecture, but it is still one of the ...

Dolce vita: unknown photos of a young Sophia Loren in a luxury villa
Dolce vita: unknown photos of a young Sophia Loren in a ...

This series of photos of Sophia Loren and her husband Carlo Ponti at their villa was taken by photographer Alfred Eisenstadt in ...

Color photographs of Japan in the beginning of 1950
Color photographs of Japan in the beginning of 1950

After the surrender of Japan in 1945, allied forces led by the US invaded the country. The Empire disintegrated, its form of ...