wiedler.ch

book (design) story #506

rainer maria rilke, c. f. meyer, paul zech:
werkleute

fredebeul & koenen verlag, essen, around 1930
printer: fredebeul & koenen, essen
size: 18 x 13 cm
photographer: laszlo willinger
designer: max burchartz

"werkleute" is a thematic anthology of poems and short texts on workmen by both famous and rather unknown authors. the publishing company fredebeul & koenen was based in essen, in the heartland of germany's mining industry, ...

... and also the home of modernist graphic design pioneer max burchartz (1909-1963) who is credited for the book design.

the cover photo is by laszlo willinger (1909-1989), a successful (portrait) photographer with a studio in berlin before he emigrated in the 1930s.

the book was the first in a series named "deutsches gut" – featured in a magazine insert (also designed by burchartz) shown in book story 490).