fully reached a mass audience. Though Heartfield
contributed photomontages to A-I-Z as early as
1930, his contributions were more frequent and sub-
stantial after his flight from Germany. He became an
editor of the magazine for a time, and was frequently
provided space for commentary on current events. In
1938, shortly before Germany invaded Czechoslova-
kia, the magazine ceased production and Heartfield
fled to England under threat of extradition back to
Germany. He also published works in the magazine
VI—Volks Illustrierte(People’s Illustrated).
An apt example of Heartfield’s work during this
period isAdolf—the Superman. Swallows gold and
spouts junk(1933) (Adolf, der U ̈bermensch: Schluckt
Gold und redet Blech). This photomontage, one of
his better known works, appeared inA-I-Zand
subsequently received a form of mass distribution
via large reproductions posted throughout Berlin.
The image is one of Hitler, mouth open as if to
speak. His chest cavity appears to be an X-ray, so
that his ribs are visible, as are the gold coins that
form his spine and fill his stomach. Both the subject
matter and formal features of this photomontage
illustrate many of the important aspects of Heart-
field’s mature work. The majority of his pieces pro-
duced forA-I-Zwere directed specifically against
Hitler and the Nazis. The use of the title—which is
as much a caption, and a part of the work itself, as it
is a title—to explicate and reinforce the meaning of
the images is a feature that becomes more prevalent
during this period. Finally, the combination of
images from conventional (often journalistic)
photography with those that have been manipu-
lated to create a visual disruption was a common
technique in Heartfield’s photomontages.
Once in England, although Heartfield continued to
support himself as a commercial artist and a book
jacket designer, he also continued his anti-Nazi work.
His work was included in the group exhibitionLiving
Art in England. A version ofKaiser Adolf: The Man
Against Europeappeared on the front page ofPicture
Postin September 1939, but in 1940 Heartfield was
interned as a person of German nationality. This not
only restricted his artistic output, it also adversely
affected his health. In 1950, he was able to repatriate
to Germany and settled first in Leipzig, later in East
Berlin. He there returned to his former work as a
designer of stage sets, book jackets, and political
posters. Once back in Germany, he received a num-
ber of honors and awards, such as his nomination by
Bertolt Brecht to the German Academy of Arts in
- However, like Heartfield, Brecht was an out-
siderinthepost-WorldWarIIGermanartand
political scene. The milieu of the German art that
remainedwasmuchdifferentthanithadbeeninthe
interwar period. Avant-garde artistic techniques such
as photomontage were held suspect in favor of social
realism. Finding himself a committed artist without
anorganizationtobecommittedto,Heartfield’slater
life provided an example of the conundrum of the
Western artist who would attempt to make political
art outside the gallery system.
YetJohnHeartfield’sworkhasenduredandcon-
tinues to inspire generations of politically motivated
artists. His photomontage style has also had a deep
impact on advertising photography, particularly in
the juxtapositions of startling imagery with socio-
political commentary. He particularly inspired
Andy Warhol, who emerged from an advertising
background to become one of the most influential
artists of the twentieth century.
SCARLETTHiggins
Seealso:Agitprop; History of Photography: Inter-
war Years; Manipulation; Montage; Photography in
Germany and Austria; PropagandaBiography
Born Helmut Herzfeld in Berlin-Schmargendorf, Germany, 19
June 1891. Studied at Royal Bavarian Arts and Crafts
School, Munich, Germany, 1907–1910; Arts and Crafts
School in Berlin-Charlottenberg, 1912–1914. Commercial
artist for paper manufacturers Bauer Brothers, Mannheim,
1911–1912. Military service, 1914–1916. Founded period-
icalNeue Jugendand publishing house Malik Verlag with
his brother, Wieland Herzefelde, 1916–1918. During same
period, also directed scientific documentaries for UFA in
Berlin and designed scenery for films. With his brother and
George Grosz, edited satirical magazinesJedermann sein
eigner FussballandDie Pleite; with Grosz and Raoul
Hausmann editeddada 3, 1919–1920. Scenic director of
the Max Reinhardt Theatres in Berlin, 1921–1923. Editor
of satirical magazine,Der Knu ̈ppel, 1923–1927. Designed
photomontages forArbeiter Illustrierte Zeitung(AIZ) and
book covers for the Malik Verlag and other publishers,
1929–1933. Designed book covers and illustrations for the
publisher Lindsay Drummond and Penguin Books, 1941–- Received offer of lectureship on satirical graphics at
Humboldt University in East Germany, 1948. Designed
scenery and posters for the Berliner Ensemble and
Deutsches Theater in Berlin, 1950. Received full professor-
ship at the Deutsche Akademie der Ku ̈nste, 1960. Won
first prize for a mural at Werkbund Exhibition in Man-
nheim, 1914. Nominated by Bertolt Brecht to the German
Academy of Arts, GDR, 1956. German National Prize for
Art and Literature, 1957. Medal for Fighter against Fas-
cism, 1933–1945, 1958. Peace Prize of the GDR, 1961.
Died in Berlin, 26 April 1968.
Individual Exhibitions
1932 While visiting the USSR, exhibits in Moscow
1920 Exhibits in Strasbourg
1934 Narodnig galerie; Prague, CzechoslovakiaHEARTFIELD, JOHN