Jim Gehrz's Soldatin Jessica Wins Henri Nannen!

May 22, 2006 - Dateline: Hamburg, Germany

The World Cup is coming to Germany. Last-minute beautification efforts are under way everywhere. Construction and soccer fever rule the day. Just a few days ago, Germany's media elite all gathered for the 2006 Henri Nannen Awards.

The Henri Nannen Award honors excellence in journalism in German-speaking countries. Hosted by Stern magazine and publishing house Gruner + Jahr, the ceremony imparts awards in five categories--and some legacy prizes, as well--as a way to celebrate the memory of the late Henri Nannen, who in 1948 founded Stern, one of world's foremost newsmagazines. Though Nannen passed away in 1996, Stern and this event carry on his reputation as a photojournalist, editor and champion of investigative journalism.

On an unusually warm night for Hamburg, the red carpet was laid out and a who's who of German media, as well as many celebrities, walked down the carpet to the screams of the local and national press. It was the event of the season for the German media. The Oscar-like presentation and the attention to details and production values made it truly memorable. The award ceremony started promptly after the glitterati strutted the red carpet and posed for the screaming local paparazzi. A sea of Hamburg beauties dressed in flowing red satin evening gowns walked the nominees and VIPs to their seats in the Deutsches Schauspielhaus, an opera house straight out of Amadeus. The gala opened with a mime and was followed by a very popular German rap group. Then a gallant and brave journalist from Turkey, who champions equality on a daily basis in a part of the world where lesser things get you killed, was given a well-deserved award for bravery in the press despite all odds. After an impassioned speech, he took his award and the show moved on with another very popular musical piece by the top German pop musical band, Texas Lighting--yes, a bluegrass band. The mimes came back with a long performance, and as the audience was waning, the first award from a category was introduced. Then Elliott Erwitt took center stage--he was one of the judges--while they showed off many of his iconic images, billboard size. Jim Gehrz's work was shown next, along with the other two very talented nominees. After a pregnant pause, Mr. Erwitt announced Jim Gehrz as the winner of the 2006 Henri Nannen Award for Photojournalistic Achievement! Erwitt was obviously very taken by Gehrz's work, as he talked about how Jim's photos showed how an essay should be done and how he especially appreciated the moments and dignity Jim had shown in the winning reportage.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune staffer won the award for his reportage work documenting Jessica Clements' amazing recovery from a near-fatal injury in Iraq. His essay, Against All Odds, ran across 14 pages in German's premiere reportage feature news publication View magazine in their Oct. 1, 2005, issue under the title Die Soldatin Jessica Clements. ZUMA was first called by Sue Lapsien from the NYC bureau of View when they were looking for a coming-home story to assign.

Unfortunately, Gehrz could not attend, so the Star Tribune's director of photography, Peter Koeleman, accepted the award on his behalf. Many more mimes and production numbers followed as they gave the other four awards to the various writing categories. Then the incomparable opera diva Sarah Brightman, dressed to the nines, closed out the four-hour spectacle. The star-studded crowd then ate a gourmet dinner and danced the night away at the appropriately named Henri Disco.

Gehrz, sincerely humbled by news of his award, said, "Being worthy of such prestigious recognition is truly a tremendous and unexpected honor." Confirming his unassuming charm, he added, "Perhaps most gratifying is knowing that the photographs must have made the emotional connection with readers that I had hoped for."

He didn't have an easy time transforming his dream into a reality. A former newspaper director of photography once told him he would be better off painting houses as a living because he would never have an eye for photographs. His desire to share meaningful, informative photographs with the world persevered, and over the 21 years since that discouraging moment, his unique gift materialized into a stunning collection of work.

Jim isn't the only one who beat the odds when they all seemed to be against him. Jessica Clements' mother was told her 27-year-old Army Reservist daughter from Akron, Ohio, had a 2 percent chance of living. The fact that both Gehrz and Clements thrived even more vigorously in the face of these challenges made them a photojournalistic match made in heaven.

The Henri Nannen Award came to Gehrz just days before the two-year anniversary of the day Clements' truck passed over a roadside bomb outside of Baghdad. When she arrived at a military hospital in Washington, D.C., with a dent in her head where her skull used to be, she was given a medical emergency score of three, the same number given to DOAs. Her tireless strength and determination amazed initially doubtful doctors, and she still found the energy to stun family and friends with her infectious laughter and astounding attitude, even though she had no memory of the terror she had been through.

As the evening ended, I could not help but think of Jessica, her courage and will to overcome all obstacles. Her smile says it all. She has been an inspiration to so many and once again myself.

Scott Mc Kiernan--Hamburg, Germany