wiedler.ch

book (design) story #504

max hoelz:
briefe aus dem zuchthaus

erich reiss verlag, berlin, 1927
printer: litfass' erben, berlin
size: 19 x 13 cm
designer: victor kuron-gogol (jacket)

max hoelz (1889-1933) was a german communist who led a militant group. for a murder he didn't commit he was jailed for life in 1921. soon after the publication of this book with his letters from jail he was released in 1928 and emigrated to the ussr where he died in 1933 (probably murdered by the secret police).

the nice dustjacket with perspective script on a red brick prison wall is signed "kuron-gogol" both on the front and back.

victor kuron-gogol (1896-1952) was a berlin-based graphic designer.

the book was edited by prominent reporter egon erwin kisch (1885-1948, see e.g. story 305), ...

who also wrote the afterword.

the book ends with a call to sign a petition to release hoelz, with a long list of prominent supporters, on this spread e.g. adolf behne, bert brecht, martin buber, otto dix and albert einstein.