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book (design) story #487

fjodor gladkow:
zement

verlag für literatur und politik, wien/berlin, 1927
printer: peuvag, essen
size: ?? x ?? cm
designer: john heartfield (jacket)

russian socialist-realist writer fyodor vasilyevich gladkov (1883-1958) first published his novel cement in 1925. gladkov himself had spent the time just before the 1918 revolution among workers of a cement factory.

the first german edition was published in 1927 as an organisation edition by johannes wertheim's vienna-based verlag für literatur und politik ("litpol"), sporting a jacket designed by john heartfield (1891-1968). a soviet statue is flanked by a vertical title in blocky sans-serif capitals.

heratfield's photo(montage) jackets inspired many other designers, including swiss richard paul lohse who used a similar vertical titles for books 35 and 60.

the book was printed by peuvag, a printing house owned by the communist party (kpd).