Bonhams : Frank Fischbeck (German, b.1940) The Beatles in Munich, Germany - A comprehensive collection of 137 unpublished black and white negatives and contact sheets, 23rd-24th June 1966, (2024)

Freelance photographer Frank Fischbeck went everywhere with his Leica camera and as his idol Cartier Bresson had, dressed for an occasion and would discreetly carry his camera to be able to take the most candid of photographs. In 1966 knowing the Beatles schedule for their German tour, he positioned himself at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel where they were due to stay while in Munich to get some images for local press reports. Fischbeck was lucky enough to overhear a member of hotel staff talking to a colleague about the Beatles imminent arrival, he has said ...that they [the Beatles] would be arriving by car in the basem*nt of the hotel and not, as everyone presumed, at the hotel's main entrance, where the screaming kids awaited them. I ambled down inconspicuously, camera out of sight under my jacket... When the Beatles finally arrived at the service entrance the band were quickly ushered into a waiting lift to take them to their hotel suites. With Fischbeck's unassuming confidence and his determination to document the group he simply got in the lift with them. They were in high spirits, took me as hotel staff and presented no objection that I enter their private suites for a couple of candid images. Fortunately the Beatles never questioned Fischbeck's presence, and likewise the hotel staff tending to the group presumed he was a member of the their entourage. With neither party rousing Fischbeck's cover and security no where to be seen he was able to capture this collection of images.

Within this unpublished archive of photographs all four members of the band appear happy and relaxed. So at ease George and Paul are documented in their hotel suite eating fruit, Ringo is shown pulling his own camera out to take photographs of the photographer documenting their every move. There is an image of John combing his hair in a mirror, with Fischbeck's reflection visible in the photograph. Later the same day the Beatles attended a press conference in the hotel ballroom to promote, what was to be their last, international tour. Fischbeck also documented this, however the images are double exposed.

As a courtesy the Beatles invited Fischbeck to their concert the following day at 'Circus-Krone-Bau'. There he had direct access to the band and was able to get to the front of the baying crowd where he took a number of images of the group on stage. The majority are close up shots of John, Paul, George and Ringo all performing.

The following morning the Beatles caught a train to Essen for the next leg of the tour. At Munich Central Station Fishcbeck was there to see the group board their train. In his customary manner of breaking protocol, Ficshbeck boarded the train and sat with the Beatles talking and taking photographs until it was time for the train to depart. These images have produced a comprehensive documentary of the Beatles only performance in Munich.