Arbeiter, Bürger, Bauern, Soldaten Aller Stämme Deutschlands [Workers, Citizens, Farmers, Soldiers All the Peoples of German]

This First World War German poster depicts a number of workers forming a united front, standing together in unification. A faceless crowd outlined in black stand in repeat of this stance on the hill top above the small groupings of labourers. The sun rises behind the figures highlighting the words 'Arbeiter, Bürger, Bauern, Soldaten Aller Stämme Deutschlands' which translates as 'Workers Citizens Farmers, Soldiers All the Peoples of Germany'. Along the bottom, more German slogans call all people together in the national assembly (Nationalversammlung). Principally committed to social and political subjects, artist Cesar Klein (1876-1954) is most well known for the posters and pamphlets he contributed in support of the many artistic and political groups for the provisional German government's Werbedienst (publicity office). He was an Expressionist painter and designer. By about 1912 Klein had developed an Expressionist style of his own in which his intensive preoccupation with Cubism soon became palpable. In 1918 he was a co-founder of the "Novembergruppe" (November Group) of artists and was active in the "Arbeitsrat für Kunst" (Workers' Council for Art). Klein created lithographs and woodcuts, stained glass windows and mosaics, and murals on walls and ceilings, in addition to his easel art. He frequently worked in media that appealed to a mass audience, such as architectural decoration, applied art, poster design, and theater and film design. Klein was included in the famous Degenerate Art exhibition mounted by the Nazi regime in 1937. Suspended from his professorship, Klein was forbidden to paint and lived from 1935 in retirement in the rural seclusion in Germany. He was able to resume his career in theatrical design after World War II.