New Additions August 2011

K Lehmann-Dumont (Artists & Engravers) - Leutert & Schneiderwind (Publishers)

1914

Humoristische Karte von Europa im Jahre 1914.

49.5 x 35 cms. Single sheet with printed colour. Traces of old folds, one horizontal and three vertical. Some minor marginal repairs to hairline nicks and tears at sheet edges and some additional repair and verso reinforcement particularly along line of right fold and at fold junctures mid centre and centre right. Faint barely legible ownership ink stamp at lower right verso. Considering its ephemeral nature and spearately published origins, a very presentable example of this uncommon cartoon map.

Designed and published in Dresden, this amusing German political cartoon map follows a graphic genre and tradition that had emerged across Europe in the wake of the Crimean and Franco-Prussian Wars in the second half of the 19th Century, encouraged by the emergence of the European nation state and of widely perceived and distinctly defined European national identities which rapidly acquired symbolic attributes and characteristics. Here we see a Europe dominated in the East by the overbearing presence of a wild vodka-swilling Russian peasant, in harness to an ever-ferocious Russian Bear, with the symbols of tyranny and political insecurity all around. In Germany, the symbolic figure of the Deutsche Michel has donned his pickelhauber over his traditional tasselled night cap or Michelsmütze. France, ever the soldier defending his Western frontiers, the long-symbolic French cockerel at his side, holds back the German advance from the East. Italy takes shelter in his boot and awaits developments. The wounded Turk, still suffering the effects of the Balkan war, reclines in Asia Minor, ready to light the powder keg of war along Russia's vulnerable Crimean underbelly. In the British Isles, a tall and seemingly frail John Bull supported by his ever-present bulldog, faces the emergent military and naval might of Germany (represented by an armour-clad fist which strikes at his face from beneath the depths of the North Sea) and is troubled by his Indian and Irish colonies which are trying to break loose from their colonial bonds, as John Bull seeks to safeguard his commercial superiority and long-established imperial wealth (represented by sacks of gold piled around his feet).

The letterpress below the map is translated as follows :  

In Germany. Deutsche Michel (German Michael, the sleepy German equivalent of John Bull)  has put on the war helmet over his sleeping cap and stretches and expands at full strength, already has the Frenchman by the throat and duly beats the hide of the Russian bear. The Imperial Eagle lets its bees out of the German hive in surprising numbers against the enemy.

Austria-Hungary fights cunningly against Russia and Serbia and kicks Montenegro in the back. With enthusiasm and unity, all its peoples go after the Russian bogeyman.

France in retreat calls to England for help, its Turkos (Algerians) ask for pardon, while the Gallic rooster crows about victories according to the recipe from 1870/71.

Russia with an “Angel of Peace” cockade gruesomely opens its jaws to swallow Germany and Austria whole, swings the Vodka bottle and the whip of revolution, while the German “insects” probe his hollow tooth and knock out his poisonous fang. The Russian bear, eager for the German beehive, is driven off by the bees, while the Pole sticks it to him, and Finland calls for a liberator.

England, having caused Egypt to declare war as well, makes its first acquaintance with the gauntlet (lit.: armored fist) while standing on its bags of money. The Indian snake gives its bulldog breathing difficulties, and Ireland tries to sever the twisted cord.

Belgium, whose people shows itself to be a poisonous toad, has already been skewered by the German needle in order to be incorporated into the German collection.

Serbia, which ignited the world war with its murder-bomb, is hunched over and held by both ears in the claws of the Austrian double-eagle.
Montenegro. The fat Nikita foolishly fights against Germany and Austria-Hungary and jubilantly receives Russian roubles for his effort.

Italy, bound by the Triple Alliance, waits in his boot for the moment to intervene, armed and provided with sardines.

In Spain. King Alfonse counts his war chest, his family is against unnecessary expenses, while the knight Don Quixote already raises his lance. Portugal leans comfortably against Spain while reading the war reports.

Holland is impolitely interrupted during breakfast as a stray bomb lands in his cup of cocoa.

Denmark peacefully makes butter deliveries to Germany, the bayonet point of 1864 has been made safe.

Norway, as a friend and brother of Germans, applauds us.

Sweden watches developments in Russia closely and in arms.

Switzerland watches the world conflagration in all comfort and is already an asylum for homeless Russian grand dukes.

Rumania energetically forges its sword.

In Bulgaria. Ferdinand busily cleans his sabre, still bloody from the Balkan War.

Greece, with its conquered bit of Turkey, cleverly considers its next move.

In Albania. The “Commission” persists in waiting in quiet prayer.

In Turkey, the sultan, wounded in the Balkan War, is recovering on his sickbed, but is not averse to giving Russia a light, which would cause the south-Russian powder keg to explode.

Japan is dragged into the European theater of war by England and grimly bares his predator’s teeth to Germany.

The map was clearly published as a separate in the first months of the War in late 1914. In the course of the war the humorous content of such cartoon maps was increasingly superceded by maps and posters that propagated a far more strident and vociferous propagandist tone and message. Because of their ephemeral nature, examples of these separately published World War I cartoon maps are now quite scarce.