wiedler.ch

book (design) story #103

(unknown) :
elektrisch kochen

verlag elektrowirtschaft, zürich, 1948
size: 21 x 15 cm
designer: richard paul lohse

in the first half of the 20th century electric energy became more and more important, also in the household kitchen: electric cookers startet to replace coal and gas fired units. the electricity lobby promoted this change with brochures like this 1948 example. electric power was dubbed "white coal" because it was "clean" – no dust, smoke, etc. – and "100% homegrown", produced in water-powered plants (nuclear reactors came later). according to the foreword the use of this "swiss energy" should be a "patriotic duty"! the gravure-printed photomontage of a pan on an electric hob in front of snowy mountains (the famous jungfrau in the swiss alps) visualises this very idea: electric cooking = clean + swiss.

the brochure was designed by richard paul lohse (1902-1988) who is credited in the impressum. lohse had worked for the electricity lobby before (story 97). ernst a. heiniger (see story 81) contributed some of the photographs.

the brochure explains how to use an electric cooker and includes some recipes. the typography is in a style jan tschichold promoted in his 1935 tutorial book (see story 30): a contrasting mix of typefaces and asymmetric titles – often in a bold slab-serif.