The pen is mightier

John Heartfield’s years of exile in London (1938-1950) were marked by his intensive and critical exploration of British satire and caricature. In her talk, Anna Schultz looks at the caricaturists in Heartfield’s circle of fellow artists, including emigrants Walter Trier, today best known for his illustrations of Erich Kästner’s children books and Vicky [Victor Weisz]. As yet, Heartfield’s collection of works by British caricaturists remains unresearched. The collection, which includes outstanding examples of 18th to 20th century works ranging from Gilray and Hogarth to David Low, also influenced Heartfield’s own artistic production, as is also evident in the showcase exhibition (until 2 Oct.).

The programme is accompanied by “Die Grenzgänger” with guitarist and singer Michael Zachcial and accordionist Felix Kroll. The Bremen-based band focuses on (folk) songs which, from topic and origin, are rooted in German history. Und weil der Mensch ein Mensch ist, their new CD, is dedicated to the courage of many people in the resistance against the Hitler regime. Their songs range in styles from the 1920s to traditional folk and modern, jazz-inspired music.