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The famous Hansi was born on February 23, 1873, in Colmar, that means in Alsace, but under German occupation.
As of the age of 10 years, constrained to attend the " Reichsland's school ", the young boy points out by his taste for the drawing and his critical spirit which prevent him from submitting himself to the discipline and make a bad pupil of him.
In order to be able to attend the "Ecole des Beaux Arts " of Lyon, he turns to a career as draughtsman.
Whereas he would have preferred to dedicate himself to the carving he works out by need as draftsman in Cernay's, Mulhouse's , then  Logelbach's textile industries.
At the same time, he continues to improve his technique of painting and practises etching and the watercolour. At this time, the first picture postcards are put on the market in Austria and Germany before appearing in France.
It is about 1896 that Colmar discovers this new mean of communication. As of the following year, Jean-Jacques Waltz, thanks to the publisher " E X. Sailé ", publishes his first postcard: " Colmar and its plain " .To make his watercolours known in a series of sights on the village of Turckheim, two of his friends introduce him into the Strasbourg artists' circle and from then on he participates in different exhibitions beside Alsatians such as Bartholdi, Spindler, Schnug, Loux, Hornecker... Jean Jacques Waltz starts to be known.
In 1907, he publishes under Hansi's pen name, a series of boards in an collection entitled " Vogesenbilder  " (Images of the Vosges) which meets a sharp success. He realizes with the publisher Max Wettig several series of watercolours cards representing landscapes. He publishes until 1914 several literary works (among which the very known " Professor Knatschke ") in a spirit of anti-Germanic satire. Numerous cards signed Hansi and representing charming Alsatian children in enchanting and bucolic settings are published by the editor " La Cigogne ". Due to this graphic means of expression, he becomes one of the symbols of the Alsatian resistance to Germany. His satirical vein brought him several condemnations in front of the German courts.
I n 1914, Hansi enlists in the French army and one finds him on several picture postcards photographed in military dress. After the war, he publishes a lot of illustrated books which do not meet any more the same success. Some of their illustrations are reproduced in the form of postcards. He realizes also posters for the " Alsace and Lorraine's railroads " duplicated in four picture postcards. In 1923, Jean Jacques Waltz succeeds his father at the post of curator of the " Unterlinden's Museum " in Colmar and works on the heraldic art.
Between 1923 and 1933, the "Alsace' Potassium Hydroxides' Company "order him advertising cards which are published at Braun's in Mulhouse Dornach. Hansi puts so his draftsman's talents on the service of the advertisement. But the second world war breaks out. Hansi, henceforth known as spearhead of the anti-Germanic fight, whose cards popularized the ideas through Germany and whole France, has to take refuge in Agen.
After a long journey, weakened, sick and demoralized, Hansi, exiles himself in Switzerland. In 1946, he ends finally up in his native town Colmar. He still publishes menus, illustrated books and some cards.
On June 10, 1951, Jean Jacques Waltz dies at the age of 78, after three years of disease, in Colmar .
The artist leaves with his country an immense cultural and artistic treasure.
Fertile creator, he produced numerous motives for dishes, for stained glass, for dolls, for posters, for commercial labels, for ex--libris, for menus, for programs, for books and about 400 picture postcards.
Etcher, painter in watercolours and popular pictures, writer, historian, Hansi knew how to mark his time by an indisputable talent.
(after Liliane Lardanchet)
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