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book (design) story #514

charles ferdinand ramuz:
eine hand

rascher & cie., a.-g., verlag, zürich / leipzig und stuttgart, 1934
size: 19 x 13 cm
designer: alex walter diggelmann (jacket)

charles ferdinand ramuz (1878-1947) is french-speaking switzerland's most famous writer. he is probably best known for his libretto of igor stravinsky's "histoire du soldat" (a soldier's tale). ramuz is featured on the swiss 200 franc banknote.

"une main" (one hand) was first published in 1933, while this german translation appeared a year later. the (apparently autobiographical) story is about a man who reflects his sudden helplessness after he had broken his arm.

the jacket drawing of a hand is almost surrealist with modernist lowercase lettering. it is credited to a "walter diggelmann". the style of the signature ("dig") on the jacket confirms that this is swiss graphic designer alex walter diggelmann (1902-1987) who is best known for his sport and tourist posters in the swiss hyperrealist style of the 1920-30s.