Friedrich Kurt Fiedler - Uwe Fiedler, Dresden and Bischofswerda in ...
Friedrich Kurt Fiedler - Uwe Fiedler, Dresden and Bischofswerda in ...
Friedrich Kurt Fiedler - Uwe Fiedler, Dresden and Bischofswerda in ...
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<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> 1<br />
<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> (8 March 1894 – 11 November 1950) was a German graphic designer <strong>and</strong> a representative<br />
of the Social Democratic Party. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the Weimar Republic he was acknowledged for his poster design, his book<br />
illustrations <strong>and</strong> his draw<strong>in</strong>gs. [1] After World War II he belonged to the re-founders of the association of f<strong>in</strong>e arts<br />
(Vere<strong>in</strong> bildender Künstler) <strong>in</strong> <strong>Dresden</strong>, but lost his <strong>in</strong>fluence when all socialdemocratic forces were repelled.<br />
Life<br />
Early life <strong>and</strong> education<br />
<strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> was born <strong>in</strong> the little village of<br />
Eichbusch near <strong>Dresden</strong> as son of a carpenter. His<br />
teacher noticed his talent <strong>and</strong> conv<strong>in</strong>ced the<br />
parents of enabl<strong>in</strong>g him to take an artist's education<br />
after complet<strong>in</strong>g Volksschule.<br />
Around 1910 he attended the even<strong>in</strong>g classes of the<br />
Kunstgewerbeschule <strong>Dresden</strong>, together with<br />
Hermann Glöckner (later a renowned pa<strong>in</strong>ter) <strong>and</strong><br />
architect Edmund Schuchardt. [2] It supported<br />
students that came from a humble family<br />
background <strong>and</strong> provided them with an education<br />
accord<strong>in</strong>g to the ideas of Deutscher Werkbund.<br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong> <strong>and</strong> Glöckner became friends <strong>and</strong> jo<strong>in</strong>tly<br />
attended the figure draw<strong>in</strong>g class of Carl Rade.<br />
From 1911 to 1915 <strong>Fiedler</strong> was supported by a<br />
grant to study as Meisterschüler (master's student)<br />
of Richard Guhr <strong>and</strong> Josef Goller.<br />
World War I <strong>and</strong> Weimar Republic<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g World War I <strong>Fiedler</strong> was a front-l<strong>in</strong>e soldier <strong>in</strong> France. He<br />
learned French <strong>in</strong> self-study <strong>and</strong> became a translator. After 1920<br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong> <strong>and</strong> his family took a flat <strong>in</strong> the culturally important<br />
Dürerbundhaus <strong>in</strong> Blasewitz. Here, Ferd<strong>in</strong><strong>and</strong> Avenarius headed the<br />
lead<strong>in</strong>g [3] cultural organization of all German speak<strong>in</strong>g countries at<br />
that time, the Dürerbund. In this surround<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> immediately<br />
made essential contacts. He designed the masthead for the social<br />
democratic newspaper Dresdner Volkszeitung. [4]<br />
<strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
Dürerbundhaus Blasewitz
<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> 2<br />
Nazi period<br />
Immediately follow<strong>in</strong>g the Machtergreifung, the new rulers ordered a search of <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong>'s house. He <strong>and</strong><br />
especially the house owners Eva & Wolfgang Schumann, stepson of Ferd<strong>in</strong><strong>and</strong> Avenarius, who had flown from<br />
Germany, were known as active social democrats. [5] Among the fellow residents of the Dürerbundhaus <strong>in</strong> the next<br />
years [6] was Götz Heidelberg, whose parents had overtaken a company <strong>in</strong> <strong>Dresden</strong>.<br />
Some of <strong>Fiedler</strong>'s former clients were banned as Kaden & Comp. [7]<br />
resp. cumbered as Sarrasani. <strong>Fiedler</strong> could compensate less contracts<br />
with publish<strong>in</strong>g houses to some extent by advertisement works for<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustrial clients. Shortly before the expropriation of the Jewish<br />
owners of Ilse Bergbau AG, <strong>Fiedler</strong> was charged with the<br />
advertisement on occasion of the 50th anniversary of the company.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g early Nazi years, he was still present at some art exhibitions. [8]<br />
Instead of follow<strong>in</strong>g Nazi taste, <strong>Fiedler</strong> visited 1937 the Expo <strong>in</strong> Paris.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g World War II <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> served as translator <strong>in</strong> the prisoner<br />
of war camps at Niedergeorgenthal near Brüx <strong>and</strong> at Zeitha<strong>in</strong> (Stalag<br />
Advertisement by <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
IV-B), which was erected by French prisoners of war from 1940. [9] He left the army <strong>in</strong> 1942 after political conflicts<br />
<strong>and</strong> because of poor health <strong>and</strong> earned his money with technical draw<strong>in</strong>gs at the <strong>Dresden</strong> University of Technology.<br />
The Dürerbundhaus was completely destroyed dur<strong>in</strong>g the bomb<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>Dresden</strong> <strong>in</strong> World War II on 13 February<br />
1945. <strong>Fiedler</strong>'s sister-<strong>in</strong>-law Fanny Schuchardt, who lived next-door, used the opportunity to hide. Her transport to a<br />
concentration camp was already scheduled for 16 February. She was among the very few Jews who survived the<br />
Holocaust <strong>in</strong> <strong>Dresden</strong>. [10]<br />
Post-war years<br />
<strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> <strong>and</strong> his family moved back to his parental home <strong>in</strong> Eichbusch. He belonged to the directorate of the<br />
association of f<strong>in</strong>e arts (Vere<strong>in</strong> bildender Künstler) <strong>in</strong> <strong>Dresden</strong> <strong>and</strong> was artistic staff member (künstlerischer<br />
Mitarbeiter) of the Saxon regional board of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. The first action on occasion of<br />
re-establish<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Dresden</strong>'s association of graphic designers <strong>in</strong> October 1945 was the commemoration of Bruno<br />
Gimpel, a Jewish pa<strong>in</strong>ter <strong>and</strong> former chairman of the graphic designers who was impelled to suicide by the Nazis. [11]<br />
At the Socialist Unity Party <strong>Fiedler</strong>'s rank was formally equal to that of Wilhelm Schubert from the former<br />
Communist Party of Germany, but like nearly all social democrats who became sidel<strong>in</strong>ed step by step he did not<br />
receive much appreciation that time, whereas Schubert was awarded the National Prize of East Germany.
<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> 3<br />
Artwork<br />
Book illustrations<br />
written by unknown<br />
author H. Itler,<br />
ironiz<strong>in</strong>g the later<br />
Nazi dictator<br />
<strong>Dresden</strong>'s planetarium With Sarrasani <strong>in</strong> South<br />
America<br />
With Sarrasani <strong>in</strong> South<br />
America<br />
Das Sternbilder-Buch by<br />
Hermann Häfker<br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong> was especially known for his cover illustrations of the adventure stories series Fahrten und Abenteuer<br />
(Travels <strong>and</strong> Adventures), edited by the director of the circus Sarrasani. It is estimated that this series, consist<strong>in</strong>g of<br />
about 100 booklets, reached an overall edition of 10 million copies. [12]<br />
Together with Hermann Häfker, who later died <strong>in</strong> the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, <strong>Fiedler</strong> created an<br />
astronomy book (Das Sternbilder-Buch) for the Dürerbund <strong>in</strong> 1926. It was part of the Dürerbund's ambition to<br />
distribute knowledge <strong>and</strong> evoke love of nature among the youth. In the same year, <strong>Dresden</strong> was one of the first cities<br />
to get a projection planetarium by Walther Bauersfeld (Zeiss model II) <strong>and</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> was selected for the promotion<br />
campaign. He designed posters <strong>and</strong> newspaper advertis<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> illustrated two books by the director Kurd<br />
Kisshauer. [13]<br />
The publish<strong>in</strong>g houses Ste<strong>in</strong>kopff, Teubner, <strong>and</strong> Rudolph charged<br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong> with illustrations of textbooks <strong>and</strong> bookplates. Jüdische Witze<br />
(Jewish humor) was published <strong>in</strong> two editions (1928, 1930) by<br />
Rudolph under a pseudonym. Today, it is not known which author hid<br />
beh<strong>in</strong>d "H. Itler", an ironical reference the later Nazi dictator. [14]<br />
Moreover, <strong>Fiedler</strong> designed various titles of Talisman-Bücherei, a<br />
successful series edited by Harry W<strong>in</strong>field Bondegger <strong>and</strong> published<br />
by Rudolph, which was bound to the New Thought movement. Some<br />
books of this series were banned by the Nazis. [15]<br />
Advertis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> draw<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
Art exhibition Brühl's Terrace 1933.<br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong> received an award on occasion of the World Advertis<strong>in</strong>g Congress 1929 <strong>in</strong> Berl<strong>in</strong>. Afterwards he became<br />
known for some of his draw<strong>in</strong>gs, especially of children. [16] The tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry [17] , Villeroy & Boch, <strong>Dresden</strong>'s<br />
first newspaper Dresdner Anzeiger, e. g. with a poster on occasion of its 200th anniversary <strong>in</strong> 1930, <strong>and</strong> the German<br />
Cycl<strong>in</strong>g Federation [18] belonged to his most important customers.
<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> 4<br />
Socialist posters<br />
Today, <strong>Fiedler</strong> is regarded as one of the lead<strong>in</strong>g poster artists of post-war East Germany. [19] [20] Many of his works<br />
can be found <strong>in</strong> Deutsches Historisches Museum, Akademie der Künste <strong>and</strong> the German Federal Archive. Among<br />
his best known pieces of that period is Junkerl<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> Bauernh<strong>and</strong>, a film poster designed for the DEFA [21] , which is<br />
also part of a permanent exhibition <strong>in</strong> Haus der Geschichte <strong>in</strong> Bonn. [22] The German national picture archive of arts<br />
at the University of Marburg documents 34 of his posters from this time.<br />
Namesake<br />
For many decades, <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> from <strong>Dresden</strong> had been confused with impressionist <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> (* 19 November<br />
1878, Berl<strong>in</strong>). The latter became attached to many of the works of <strong>Dresden</strong>'s <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong>. This mistake can be traced<br />
back to Dresslers Kunsth<strong>and</strong>buch of 1930, which confused the <strong>Dresden</strong> address with the life of Berl<strong>in</strong>'s <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong>,<br />
who lived from 1908 till at least 1943 at Bülowstraße 20. This confusion propagated even through later lexicons.<br />
References<br />
Archive<br />
• City Archive of <strong>Dresden</strong> (17.6.3.5: 79 documents; draw<strong>in</strong>gs, posters, illustrations, advertis<strong>in</strong>g graphics) [23]<br />
Literature<br />
• Frank und <strong>Uwe</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong>: Zwischen Dürerbund und Kulturbund – Aus dem Leben des Dresdner Grafikers <strong>Kurt</strong><br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong>. In: Sächsische Heimatblätter. Jg. 55, 1/09, S. 10-18. Verlag Klaus Gumnior. Chemnitz 2009. ISSN<br />
0486-8234.<br />
• James Aulich, Marta Sylvestrová: Political posters <strong>in</strong> Central <strong>and</strong> Eastern Europe, 1945-95: signs of the times.<br />
Ed. James Aulich, Marta Sylvestrová. Manchester University Press ND, 1999<br />
Notes<br />
[1] Catalogues of art exhibitions <strong>Dresden</strong> Brühlsche Terrasse 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936.<br />
[2] Hermann Glöckner – E<strong>in</strong> Patriarch der Moderne. Ed. by John Erpenbeck. Der Morgen. Berl<strong>in</strong> 1983. p. 44-45.<br />
[3] Gerhard Kratzsch: Kunstwart und Dürerbund. E<strong>in</strong> Beitrag zur Geschichte der Gebildeten im Zeitalter des Imperialismus (http:/ / books.<br />
google. com/ books?id=KMCKE2wd8iMC& pr<strong>in</strong>tsec=frontcover& hl=de& rview=1). V<strong>and</strong>enhoeck u. Ruprecht, Gött<strong>in</strong>gen 1969. ISBN<br />
3-525-36125-4.<br />
[4] Gebrauchsgraphik. Jg. 2, 3/1925. Prof. H. K. Frenzel (Hrsg.). Verlag Phöenix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH Berl<strong>in</strong><br />
[5] Biography of Wolfgang Schumann (http:/ / hansopac. slub-dresden. de/ cgi-b<strong>in</strong>/ slub. pl?t_allegro=x& v_0=IDN& q_0=p206) at SLUB<br />
[6] Residents of He<strong>in</strong>rich-Schütz-Straße 2 <strong>in</strong> 1941 (http:/ / digital. slub-dresden. de/ ppn32253172Z/ 1689)<br />
[7] Terror aga<strong>in</strong>st the social democrats <strong>in</strong> <strong>Dresden</strong> (http:/ / www. spd-dresden. de/ <strong>in</strong>dex. php?nr=1216& menu=1)<br />
[8] Mart<strong>in</strong> Papenbrock, Gabriele Saure: Kunst des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts <strong>in</strong> deutschen Ausstellungen. Vol. 1, Verlag VDG, 2000<br />
[9] Deutsche Dienststelle (VI/118; <strong>Fiedler</strong>, <strong>Kurt</strong>, *08.03.1894): Erkennungsmarke -1224- 3. Schtz. Ers. Kp. 10, Meldung vom 17.09.1940 bis<br />
28.08.1942, 1. Kompanie Kriegsgefangenen Bau- und Arbeitsbataillon 4 ("die E<strong>in</strong>heit wurde am 05.09.1940 im Wehrkreis <strong>Dresden</strong> aus<br />
Franzosen aufgestellt")<br />
[10] Myra Warhaftig: Deutsche jüdische Architekten vor und nach 1933. Reimer, 2005<br />
[11] Klaus Tiedemann: Der Maler und Grafiker Bruno Gimpel (1886–1943). Medaon – Magaz<strong>in</strong> für jüdisches Leben <strong>in</strong> Forschung und Bildung,<br />
2007 (http:/ / medaon. de/ pdf/ M-Tiedemann-1-2007. pdf)<br />
[12] Gideon Reuveni: Read<strong>in</strong>g Germany: Literature <strong>and</strong> Consumer Culture <strong>in</strong> Germany before 1933. New York <strong>and</strong> Oxford: Berghahn Books,<br />
2006.<br />
[13] wiedler.ch (http:/ / wiedler. ch/ felix/ books/ story/ 454) (Kurd Kisshauer: Der Sternenhimmel im Feldglas; Das Planetarium der Stadt<br />
<strong>Dresden</strong>.)<br />
[14] Richard Rask<strong>in</strong>: Life is Like a Glass of Tea. University of Aarhus, 1992.<br />
[15] Banned books by Rudolph'sche Verlagsbuchh<strong>and</strong>lung (https:/ / www. berl<strong>in</strong>. de/ rubrik/ hauptstadt/ verbannte_buecher/ suche.<br />
php?orderby=autor_nachname& order=asc& s_verlag=Rudolph)<br />
[16] www.deutschefotothek.de (http:/ / www. deutschefotothek. de/ obj32010223. html) (Sonja <strong>and</strong> Frank - the two elder children of <strong>Friedrich</strong><br />
<strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong>)
<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> 5<br />
[17] Hiertste<strong>in</strong> - Katzenste<strong>in</strong> Gebiet, Poster 1930. Austrian National Library Vienna<br />
[18] www.dhm.de (http:/ / www. dhm. de/ gos-cgi-b<strong>in</strong>/ dbsatz. pl?Objekt=pli13787& Datenbank=allwww) (Poster Riesen-Auftakt 43. Bundesfest<br />
Bund Deutscher Radfahrer)<br />
[19] Fritz Donner: Ausstellung zum 30. Jahrestag der Gründung der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik. Berl<strong>in</strong>, Altes Museum. 3 October - 31<br />
December 1979, p. 324.<br />
[20] Dr. Sylke Wunderlich: Überklebt – Plakate aus der DDR. Schwer<strong>in</strong>, 24 August - 21 October 2007. Exhibition catalogue p. 11, 48, 157, 173.<br />
[21] www.progress-film.de (http:/ / www. progress-film. de/ de/ filmarchiv/ film. php?id=411) (Junkerl<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> Bauernh<strong>and</strong> - Zwei Jahre<br />
Bodenreform.)<br />
[22] Exhibition Socialist Economy <strong>in</strong> the Haus der Geschichte, object group D1 (http:/ / www. hdg. de/ fileadm<strong>in</strong>/ _Besucher<strong>in</strong>formation/<br />
materialien/ MUM3. pdf)<br />
[23] City Archive of <strong>Dresden</strong>, 2009 (http:/ / www. dresden. de/ media/ pdf/ stadtarchiv/ stadtarchiv_best<strong>and</strong>2009. pdf)<br />
External l<strong>in</strong>ks<br />
This article <strong>in</strong>corporates <strong>in</strong>formation from the German Wikipedia.<br />
• <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> - Arts & Architecture, Research, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Dresden</strong> (http:/ / www. scribd. com/ doc/ 14334248/<br />
<strong>Kurt</strong><strong>Fiedler</strong>) at Scribd<br />
• <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> <strong>in</strong> Italian (http:/ / blog. cartaematita. com/ temperamente/ 2009/ 10/ kurt-fiedler-tra-graphic-desig.<br />
htm)<br />
• Biographical lexicon (http:/ / personen-wiki. slub-dresden. de/ <strong>in</strong>dex. php/ <strong>Fiedler</strong>,_<strong>Kurt</strong>) at Saxon State Library<br />
• German national picture archive of arts (http:/ / www. bild<strong>in</strong>dex. de/ ?+ pgesamt:<strong>Fiedler</strong> + pgesamt:<strong>Kurt</strong> &<br />
sortby=titel& sort=asc#|home) at the University of Marburg
Article Sources <strong>and</strong> Contributors 6<br />
Article Sources <strong>and</strong> Contributors<br />
<strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong> Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?oldid=419342182 Contributors: Fun<strong>and</strong>trvl, Ghosttexter, HaeB, Iridescent, Martarius, Mcoupal, Ser Amantio di Nicolao,<br />
Ttonyb1, UnkleFester, <strong>Uwe</strong>fiedler, Vegaswikian, Woohookitty, 6 anonymous edits<br />
Image Sources, Licenses <strong>and</strong> Contributors<br />
File:<strong>Kurt</strong> fiedler.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:<strong>Kurt</strong>_fiedler.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
File:Duererbundhaus.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:Duererbundhaus.jpg License: anonymous-EU Contributors: postcard<br />
File:Ilse-bergbau.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:Ilse-bergbau.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: <strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
File:Juedische-witze.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:Juedische-witze.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: H. Itler (pseudonym<br />
satirically referenc<strong>in</strong>g later Nazi dictator!); graphics <strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong> <strong>Fiedler</strong>; quoted <strong>in</strong>: Richard Rask<strong>in</strong> (University of Aarhus): Life is Like a Glass of Tea (1992)<br />
File:<strong>Dresden</strong> planetarium.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:<strong>Dresden</strong>_planetarium.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: <strong>Kurt</strong><br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
File:Mit-sarrasani-heft3.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:Mit-sarrasani-heft3.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: <strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong><br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
File:Mit-sarrasani-heft4.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:Mit-sarrasani-heft4.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: <strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong><br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
File:Sternbilder2.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:Sternbilder2.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Graphics: <strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong><br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
File:Sonja und frank.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/<strong>in</strong>dex.php?title=File:Sonja_und_frank.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: <strong>Friedrich</strong> <strong>Kurt</strong><br />
<strong>Fiedler</strong><br />
License<br />
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported<br />
http:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/
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