Tilkowski
Hans Tilkowski was born in Dortmund in 1935 and died in 2020. He was a goalkeeper for Borussia Dortmund from 1963 and for the German national team from 1957 to 1967. 1966 he won the European cup of cup-winners with Borussia Dortmund and became vice world champion in Wembley.
Sebastian Mölleken studied Photography in Dortmund and works as a freelancing photographer. He likes the Ruhr Area, he has an office in Essen and lives in Oberhausen with his wife and daughter. Many of his works are commissioned, his personal passion is his series Pott Promis.
He already photographed football player Rudi Assauer, actor Sönke Wortmann and politician Renate Künast for his series, having goalkeeper Hans Tilmann in front of his camera was pure coincidence: “I was supposed to photograph manager Peter Neururer at an event, but suddenly legendary goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski stood in front of me. He immediately agreed to take part. While I photographed Neururer, he held the reflector - and vice versa. I was impressed by the down-to-earth attitude of these two legends.”
Not only is Tilkowski a legend for Borussia Dortmund, but also played a big part in the German national team. He played 39 international matches between 1957 and 1967. In 1965 he became footballer of the year. In 1966 he became vice world champion with the German national team in England at the Wembley stadium.
Text: Daniela Berglehn
Translation: Matthias Fabry