Bei Unseren Helden ad Somme [With our heroes on the Somme]

A German First World War propaganda poster that advertises a German film, "Bei Unseren Helden ad Somme [With our heroes on the Somme]". This film was produced in response to the British film "The Battle of the Somme," which was released in 1916. The German film is divided into three parts and shows the situation for the German army during the battle of the Somme, an advance through the Saint-Pierre-Vaast forest and an engagement near Bouchavesnes. Advertising the film, this poster depicts the bust of a German infantryman, throwing a grenade from his right hand. He has a long scar on his left cheek and is wearing an Iron Cross. A shell appears exploding in the background. The title in positioned at the bottom of the poster and is printed in black ink. Hans Rudi Erdt (1883-1918) was a German graphic designer, lithographer and commercial artist known for his contributions to the Sachplakat movement created by Lucian Bernhard. His work at the prestigious Hollerbaum und Schmidt art printing company, making him one of the most important representatives of German poster art between 1906 and 1918. Erdt has also been recognized for his innovative use of typography in posters. He trained as a lithographer at the Munich School of Applied Arts. During World War I he created propaganda posters for the German State Film Committee, as well as promotional posters for propaganda films, some of which, like 'U Boote Heraus!' became quite famous at the time. Erdt died in Berlin of tuberculosis at the age of 35.