Wallraff, Günter

Journalist and author Günter Wallraff gained prominence using undercover research methods and assumed identities. His revelations as “Hans Esser”, an editor at German tabloid newspaper BILD, attracted huge attention. Wallraff posed as a Turkish guest worker and documented his experiences in a bestseller called “Ganz unten” (Lowest of the Low), igniting a broad debate about subcontracted labor and cultural integration. Wallraff’s more recent undercover campaigns have included employment in a call center, as a low-wage worker in a wholesale bakery and as a homeless person living on the streets. He documented his experiences in a book called “Aus der schönen neuen Welt" (Scenes from the Brave New World). Wallraff’s undercover research and reports denounce social inequality – but also help to expose and eliminate inhumane practices.