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book (design) story #424

franz carl weiskopf:
die versuchung

verlag oprecht, zürich, 1937
printer: genossenschaftsdruckerei arbon
size: 20 x13 cm
designer: john heartfield (jacket)

another example of an german antifascist emigrant's book published by emil oprecht in zürich. franz carl weiskopf (1900-1955) was a german-czech writer, married to alex wedding (grete bernheim), see story222. the communist activist left germany in 1933 for prague where he became chief editor of the the a.i.z., the weekly famous for its photomontages by john heartfield. in 1938 he emigrated to paris and then new york. after ww2 he became a czech diplomate.

so it is no surprise that this jacket was designed by john heartfield (1891-1968), however not one of this photomontage genius's typical work.

the temptation is about a working-class woman in berlin facing the tempations of the nazi zeitgeist.