Advertising History | Dada | Weimar Republic Graphic Design | Anti-Fascist Collage
“I was never a functionary.”
Toward the end of his life John Heartfield’s gave this quick pointed answer to a question about his 1919 membership into the KPD (Communist Party Of Germany). The KDP was the only real political opposition to the rise of Adolf Hitler and The Nazi Party in Weimar Republic Germany.
“MALE MIT FOTO/DICHTE MIT FOTO”
(“PAINT WITH PHOTOGRAPHY/MAKE POETRY WITH PHOTOGRAPHY”)
“VAN GOGH: EIN GEFUEL FUR DIE DINGE ALS SOCHE IST VIEL WICHTIGER ALS EIN SINN FUER DAS MALERISCHE”
(VAN GOGH: A FEELING FOR OBJECTS AS SUCH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A FEELING FOR PAINTING”)
Written by John Heartfield on the walls of the
1939 Stuttgart Exhibition, FILM AND FOTO
Word & ImagesHeartfield Archive
This section of the John Heartfield Exhibition features historic documents and previously published correspondence.Heartfield was one of the most influential figures in twentieth century art. Art critics and scholars agree that his work has impacted advertising, graphic design, typography, political art, and modern culture. His art has been called a precursor to Internet visual design. His life story is a reflection of historic events in German history. He epitomizes the many Germans who hated and opposed The Third Reich.
Current Features
View John Heartfield 1968 Name Change Document. It is widely known that John Heartfield, a resident of Berlin, Anglicized his name from Helmut Herzfeld in 1916 to protest fervent German nationalism. However, Herzfeld did not legally become Heartfield until August 27, 1964. Many official documents thoughout his life bear the name “Helmut Herzfeld.”