The years between the First and Second World Wars are famed forthe flowering of German culture. With Berlin as its epicenter, the period was replete with advanced science,
passionate politics, and groundbreaking literature, philosophy, and art. At the heart of this intellectual and creative promise were some of the most outstanding book designs in
modern history.
Book Covers of the Weimar Republic assembles 1,000 of the most striking examples from this hub of publishing activity and innovation.Based on the remarkable
collection of Jürgen Holstein and his rare collectible Blickfang,it combines an unparalleled catalog of dust jackets and bindings with Holstein’s
introduction to the spirit and leading figures of Weimar publishing. Expert essays discuss the aesthetic and cultural context of theseprecious fourteen years, in which a
freewheeling spirit would flourish, only to be trampled, burned, or driven out of the country with the rise of National Socialism.
From children’s books to novels in translation, bold designs for political literature to minimalist artist monographs, this is a dazzling line-up oftypography, illustration, and
graphic design at its most energetic and daring. Part reference compendium, part vintage visual feast for the eyes, this very particularcultural history is at once
a testament to an irretrievable period of promise and acelebration of the ambition, inventiveness, and beauty of the book.
Text in English and German
