Thomas Hirschbiegel, the legendary police reporter from Hamburg, entered retirement at the end of November. After nearly half a century at the Mopo, he photographed hundreds of crime scenes and was often the first on site. Now, he reflects on his intense experiences in his apartment.
Thomas Hirschbiegel, 66 years old, is regarded as a legend among reporters in Hamburg. For nearly half a century, he worked as a police reporter for the tabloid newspaper Mopo. During this time, he documented hundreds of crime scenes, saw many dying people, and photographed them. His colleagues called him the 'Bloodhound' for his ruthless determination, which made him successful.
At the end of November 2025, Hirschbiegel entered retirement. On a Monday morning in his Hamburg apartment, where he lives alone, he examines old photos from the 1970s. They are in a wrinkled envelope labeled in pen: 'Explosion, Stabbing, Suicide'. While looking at the images, he says: 'That's really nasty' – 'How close I was to it!' – 'There's drama in this. There's action!'
These memories highlight the intensity of his work. Hirschbiegel was often the first at the scene, allowing him to capture the situations authentically. The article from ZEIT am Wochenende (issue 50/2025) sheds light on how these experiences now affect him in retirement and burden his psyche.
