LaurenClark

VisualAfi Studies
"A1in Politics- Histo cal Study"

By discus$inghisto cal examplesofvisual a wo.ks, demonstratehow some

visual aftistswere political critics.

During the Nazi regime,the Geman art societycameundera stateofupheavalwith the

introductionof National SocialistSocietyfor GermanCulturein 192'l.ln cohercncewith ,/
one of the main themes of Hitlef s Mein Kalnpf, this organisation sought to overcome the
"cultural decadence"of Germany, an aim that intensified after Hider's appointment to
power in 1933.Noting the importanceof art on a nation'scultureand identity,Hitler saw
modem artistsas being "c minalsofculture", describingthem as both "idiots" and "con-
men", usingtheir "$ordidimagination[s]to kill the soul of a people".In his opinion,the
true function of art was to depictthe "nobleand...etemallybeautiful"i thereforc,artwotk
that rejectedsuchidealswerebelievedby Hitler to be "a sign of deteriorationand
decadence." The artistsof suchworks werefacedwith intimidationtacticsto the extent
that somevisual a ists who usedtheir art as a form of political and socialcriticism,such
asJohnHeaflfield, Max Beckmann,and Otto Dix, wereforcedinto exile are a resultof
govemmentalpersecution. ./

Du ng the Third Reich,art wasoften employedas a tool for propagandaas it was

associated with a nation'sculturalheritage,and providedthe appropriatesymbolismand
,d
r ima8erythat the Nazis utilisedto assistin what they saw as being tle culturalrestoration
\ds ofthe Germansociety.Using tbe mediumofphotogaphy, JohnHeartfietdcreatedhis
own soft ofvisual propagandathroughphotomontage, a techniqueinspiredby the
\collages oftheCubists. As photography was primarily used as a methodofrccording
0, juxtaposed
reality, Heartfield's imagesforcedthe viewer to reevaluatethe symbolismof
the collectiveimagesin relationto Nazi propaganda. Many ofhis works were an attack
on Fascism,and were often satidcalpiecesthat condemnedthat anti-Semite
establishmentand the wealthy industrialists who supported the German army. As the
imageswere accompaniedby text and madewidely accessibiethroughmassmedia,the
works werc easilyunderstoodby the working class- the peoplewho were most
significanllyimpacteduponby lhe Naziregime.

Inhrs,Notk Adolf the S perman,ar ima.geof AdolfHider is alteredso that it appeamto

be an x-ray, revealingold coinsfed to Hitler by capitalists,armsmanufacturers, and
bankers.The sub-title"he swallowsgold and spoutsjunk"indicatesHeartfield'sopinions
olthe speeches that "were so essentiala part of the Nazi program",in that the speeches
representedthe interestsofthe capitalas opposedto the interestsof the people.This
imagewas usedas an anti-Hitlerposterin the 1932election,and revealsthe contradiction
between"llider's anti-capitalistrhetoricandprc-capitalistgovernment."

Heartfield'shatredof the Germangovemmentmostprobabiyo.iginatedin 1914,when,at

a time when fascismbeganto emergein the government,he was draftedinto the German
mililary only to be acquittedmonthslaterafterfaking a neryousbreakdown.In protestto
Germany's"cunent barbaic state",he laterbecamea memberofthe Berlin group Dada
and the GermanCommudst Party.As the founderof severalpolitical periodicals,
Heartfield'simpact as an artist on the Germansocietyhad reachedsuchextemes by 1933
that his work was banned,and Heartfieldwasforcedto flee to Czechoslovakia to escape
peNecution.Howeverby this time, many of his anti-Nazimontageshad appearedin
popularleft-wing magazinessuchas "AIZ" and "The Red Flag", and as a rcsult,
Heartfield'svisually-expressed political opinionshad alreadybeencirculatedthroughout
Lhewider cornmunitv.
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bven in tie yearsbeloreWorld War l, Max Becffiil'was establishedas being one to
Germany'sleadingartists.His work was primaily focusedon religiousand mythical
themes,howeverafter se ing as a medicalvolunteerfor a yearduring World War I, his
work assumed"a Northem Gothic sensibilitycouchedin a Modem idiom". Beckmann's
figures,forms, and coloursbecamereminiscentofthe Cubists,with the conceptsbehind
his works adoptinga more socially cdtical stance.In the yearsprecedingthe rise ofthe
Nazi Party,his positionas an intemationallyrenownedaftist was conlirmed,with many
of his works being exhibitedthroughoutEuropeand the United States.Beckmannfurther
receivedartistic acclaimin 1928,when he was awardedwith "one of the nation'shighest
honorsin the fine afts...a gold medalfrom the city ofDiisseldorf in recognitionofhis
artistic achievements".In the following years,two pe.manentdisplaysof his works were
established,howeveras a resultofHitler's se to powerin 1933,modemart becamesee[
as being "socially and morally corupt", and henceBeckmann'safi was removedlrom
public displayand expropdated."By 1937,nearlysix hundredof his works had been
confiscated",and as a resultof the systematicpolitical persecutioninflicted upon him,
Beckmannwas forcedto leavehis teachingpositionin Frankfult for the secudtyof
Amsterdam. -/

Beckmann'sexpressionof detestationtowardsthe Nazi regimethroughhis art is less

obviousthanHeartfield'sworks, yet are equallyimportantin the depictionofpolitical
cdticism. His most famouswork, the painti\g Depafture,is a tiptych saidbe of Gothic
influence.Its conceptualimpacton societystemsfrom the "contaastbetweenthe serene
otherworldlinessof the centersectionand the violenceofthe wings," and while
exhibitinga messagethat is not specificto one particulartime or event,it's cteationcame
at a time when "Nazi tyrannythreatenedEuropeancivilization", and so is very likely to
havebeeninfluencedby the curent political situationin Germany.The first paneldepicts
a "sceneof tofturepropheticofthe deathcamps",witl an executionerinflicting actsof
brutality upon a numberofbound victims.The low ceiling,presenceofbars, and
predominance of dark tones are implicit of a pdson or torture charnber.The third panel,
while lessgaphically violent, is "equallychargedwith an atmosphereofdegradationand
suffering".In what looks to be a dimly lit theatre,a coupleis escortedby a blindfolded
usher,a child (describedas being "a horribledwarf-like Eros") making a gestureof
shame,and a man beatinga largebassdrum.Theseelementscollectivelycreatea sense
of oppressionand personaltormentaboutthe artwork,and havebeeninterpretedas
representingthe madnessand despairof the Nazi era.The centrepanelreplacesthe
sombredarknessofthe sidepanelswith "broadexpansesofclear primary colols", and
features"the departu.eof a royal family in calm daylight",which somehaveinterpreted
as being "an allusionto Beckmann'sown flight from Nazi Germany".

Similar to Heartfield'sand Beckmann'sprimary expedences of war, Otto Dix was a pafi

of tlle Germanarmy for the entiretyof World War I. Dix was "profoundlyaffectedby the
sightsof the war", and after World War I, went on to produceworks that reflectedhis
memo es of the I'traumaticpeiod". ln particular,Dix's art portmyedhis opinionsof the
'invisibility' of
war veterans,and the unjusttreatmentof suchby the Germangovenment
and society.Although Dix wasknown to produceworks ofa poiitically critical nature,
the Nazi regimeallowedhim to continueproducjngartworkson the provisionthat he
concedeto paint landscapes insteadof works that dealtwith polirical rhemes.Despitehis
agreement,Dix continuedto secretlycreateworks of socialand political criticism,
howeverfollowing the 1938exhibitionofthese paintings,"Dix was arrestedand charged
with involvementin a plot on Hitler's life". Thesechargeswere eventually&opped, and
Dix continuedto produceworks until his conscriptioninto the Geman army in 1945,
\then, towardsthe end ofthe SecondWorld War, Dix was capluredand imprisonedin a
prisoner'of war camp.

Flanderswas createdat a time whenDix had beenbannedfrom exhibitingby the Nazi

party, and is a testamentto both his "memoryof the war and its dead".Paintedin a style
reminiscentof "the oid Germanmasters",Fldrders is a departurefrom his previous
works in that the "camage"is replacedwith "the flooding ofthe trenches."It is based
upon a passagewdtten by FrenchauthorHenri Barbusse,which depictstle tangleof
soldiersand mud, and implies that 'union'of enemysoldiersas a resultofthe devastating
flood. The passage"Men cameout of that dreadfulnight wearingthe sameuniform of
destitution...with no thoughtsofkilling eachother" affirmsthe idea that in the midst of
man-madehollor, one is still essentiallysusceptibleto greaterforcesthan man.As
Barbussewas "outlawedby Hitlels Reich",and a memberof the FrenchCommunisr
PBrty,Dix's homageto this authoris a blatantspum towardsthe Hitler govemment.
"/
In an attemptto preventthe productionof "degenerative" art, and to "renewthe creative
spirit ofthe nation",all independentart groupswere abolishedby the Nazi regime,and
the National Chamberof Culturewasestablishedin 1933.Art movementssuchas
GermanExpressionism,Cubism,and Dadaismwerenot acceptedby the establishment,
and only "racially and ideologicallyacceptable"artistswerepermittedto buy art
materialsand exhibit their work. Aftists that refusedto conformto the Nazi idealswere
seento be a threatto socialorder,and as such"degenemcyimplied weaknessand
disorder"accordingto the Nazi regime,many artistsbecamethe subjectofpersecution.
The Nazismaim of bringing abouttbe "total orderingof the Germar,people"was rejected
by artistssuchas Heartfield,Beckmannand Dix, who continuedto createworks of
political criticism despitethe constantintimidation.Theseartistsare now seento be
artisticgeniusesof their time, not only for the quality of art works they producad,but
alsofor exhibitingthe coumgeto expresstheir ideasin the midst ofpe$ecutionsand
totment.

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