John Heartfield

Helmut Herzfeld, known as John Heartfield . (Berlin - Schmargendorf, 1891 - Berlin, 1968)

German artist, initially painter, then Photographer. Its Photomontage S, of which it is the precursor with George Grosz, denounces the Nazisme violently. Attracted very early by the Marxism, it binds friendship with George Grosz, which introduces it into the movement Dadaïste in 1918. Some time after the International exhibition Hobby-horse of 1920, it creates its first Photomontage S, activity which it will finally prefer with painting. Member of the German Communist party, Heartfield becomes the principal author of posters " modernes" attacker and denouncing the rise of the Nazism. He collaborates with the working newspaper Arbeiter Illustrierte Zeitung (A.I.Z.) in 1930, of which he illustrates the covers. The violence emanating of its photomontages will make say to Louis Aragon that Heartfield " is the prototype and the model of the artist antifasciste". It takes refuge in Poland as of 1933, after the accession of Adolf Hitler with the chancellery of the Weimar Republic. Before the invasion of the Poland, Heartfield flees towards the England where it will remain of 1938 with 1949. It will return to East Berlin in GDR in 1950 and will continue its production of posters and decoration for the Berliner Ensemble and Deutsches Theater until its death in 1968.

Biography

Its childhood

Helmut Herzfeld is the elder one of a family of four children, whose father, writer, name Franz Herzfeld and the mother Alice Herzfeld. In 1895, his/her father is condemned to the imprisonment. The family moves then in Switzerland and later in Salzburg in Austria. In 1899, his/her parents disappear in circumstances which, still today are not completely explained, thus giving up their children. Helmut and its brothers and sisters are collected by a family of reception.

Its training

Helmut Herzfeld begins in 1905 a formation from bookseller with Wiesbaden, to which he adds studies of applied arts to the school of Munich of 1908 to 1911. He works then in 1912 as an advertizing graphic designer with Munich. Because this work was not enough for him to live, it begins, the same year, of the studies of arts and craft industry at the school of Charlottenbourg. In 1915, it begins its military service and in autumn of this same year, becomes acquainted with George Grosz.

Editor

From 1916, it is officially made call “John Heartfield”. Through that, he wanted to protest against nationalism dominating in Germany. In the following years, it founds in collaboration with his brother Wieland Herzfeld the edition Malik in Berlin. His/her brother also modified his patronym while adding in " e" in Herzfeld.

Its dadaïstes artistic creations

From May to June, it formats the typography of the two weekly reviews “Neue Jugend” and “Kleine Grosz-Map”. In 1917, Heartfield worked out with the assistance of George Grosz the cartoon “Pierre with St Nazaire” for “Militärische Bildstelle” (organization of film loans for the soldiers). Heartfield adhered to the Communist party on December 31st, 1918. As from 1919, he becomes the protagonist of the movement hobby-horse in Berlin and becomes known on the artistic scene to be the “engine of the hobby-horse”. Then other activities in the artistic movement follow. In April 1920, Heartfield publishes with George Grosz and Raoul Hausmann “Hobby-horse 3”; in June, it takes part in the first international demonstration hobby-horse in Berlin.Dans the same year, him and Grosz publishes the test “der Kunstlump”.

The Master of the photomontage

In 1924 appears its photomontage entitled “Väter und Söhne 1924”: it is the political first Photomontage of Heartfield. On the image, one can see the General of camp Paul von Hindenburg being held behind skeletons of soldiers. A troop of children in uniform, the weapon with the shoulder, draws on them. In 1929 appears a book of images made in collaboration with Kurt Tucholsky under the satirical title “Deutschland, Deutschland über ales”. In 1930, he collaborates with the working newspaper Arbeiter-Illustrierten-Zeitung (AIZ), as from 1936 with the newspaper “Die Volks-Illustrierte” (VI) in which regularly appear until in 1938 his political photomontages. Then, the artist saw one year, as from 1931, in Soviet Union, where he works on various projects (exposures, plays).

Its activities during the exile

Vis-a-vis the come to power of the National-socialisme, John Heartfield takes refuge in Poland in 1933 after its house was excavated by SA. He continues his work of oppositional publication in Germany from Prague. One of its tavaux the most known has as a title “Millionen stehen hinter to mir” and shows Hitler making safety Nazi and tightening the hand behind to receive money. Its other work is massively propagated, they are reproduced on reviews of orientation gauchist and posters of the Communist party. He is officially expatriate in 1934. Heartfield then takes part in an exposure of caricatures organized by atistic association Manes in Prague. A note of protest of the German ambassador directed against him did not facilitate its work during its exile. Following the invasion of Poland by the German troops, Heartfield takes the plane for England on December 6th, 1938 with the assistance of English intellectuals, and where it will remain until 1949. In 1940, its health condition starts to be degraded.

Member of the academy of arts in East Berlin

August 31st, 1950, Heartfield turns over to Germany, GDR, where he lived until 1956 in Leipzig. He works with his brother Wieland Herzfeld for various theaters, publishers and organizations of GDR. In 1951, it makes a myocardial infarction, then a second in 1952. It resumes its work only in 1954. In June of this same year, the writer Stefan Heym claims the admission of Heartfield to the academy of arts. In 1956, Heatfield moves in Berlin and is elected active member of the German academy of arts of Berlin. October 7th, 1957, at the time of his voyage in China, the ambassador of GDR gives to him the national price of art and the literature, in 1960 it obtains the title of professor. In 1962, it falls down seriously sick. His/her brother publishes the same year “John Heartfield, his work and his life”. John Heartfield dies in 1968 in East Berlin at the 76 years age.

External bonds political

Heartfield and its photomontages
Biografie, heutige Wirkung

Heartfield vs. Hitler: Gallery
Benütze Foto als Waffe

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