Ulenspiegel (satirical magazine)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ulenspiegel

description German satirical magazine
publishing company Ulenspiegel-Verlag, Berlin-Dahlem
First edition December 24, 1945
attitude 1950
Frequency of publication biweekly
Editor-in-chief Karl Schnog
editor Herbert Sandberg, Günther Weisenborn

The Ulenspiegel was a satirical magazine of the post-war period of World War II and an important chapter in the cultural new beginning after the Hitler years in Germany. It has been published every 14 days in Berlin since December 1945 by Herbert Sandberg and Günther Weisenborn . The circulation was initially 120,000, after the currency reform 50,000 and later 75,000 copies. The magazine was under the Allied license of the American military authorities from 1946 to 1948 and under the license of the Soviet authorities from 1949 to 1950. Karl Schnog was the chief editor at times .

The more left-wing political satirical newspaper saw itself in the tradition of Simplicissimus and other classic magazines of humor and satire. It was thus a forerunner of the later magazines Pardon , Titanic and Eulenspiegel . But it also saw itself as a platform for art and literature. In the democratic awakening of the post-war period, writers, illustrators, caricaturists and graphic artists of the most diverse cultural and political orientations met here, above all in order to satirically comment and accompany Germany's political, cultural and economic development. Satire, humor , cartoon , caricature and comics played a special role, but also the rediscovery of ostracized, forgotten art of the classic avant-garde . At times the sheet had an art print supplement with reproductions of pictures by Picasso , Chagall and many other artists from the past and present who were banned under Hitler.

founding

Herbert Sandberg from the Buchenwald concentration camp and Günter Weisenborn from the Luckau prison had hardly been freed when they met in June 1945 in Berlin on the Kurfürstendamm . Sandberg had a finished concept for the satirical paper with him. Emil Carlebach , who had accepted the Frankfurter Rundschau license , and Peter de Mendelssohn , who was responsible for the press at the American military authority, were the godfathers of the establishment. Intentions and circumstances become clear from the imprint of 1946: “The independent and uncensored ULENSPIEGEL appears for the time being every 14 days on Friday in Ulenspiegel-Verlag Haueisen & Co. GmbH Berlin-Dahlem Pücklerstr. 22 ... The Ulenspiegel-Verlag is approved by the intelligence control of the American military government. "

history

As early as 1934 to 1941, a company magazine of the Ullstein Verlag (Ullstein AG) appeared under the name “Ulenspiegel” . The new sheet had nothing to do with this. In the editorial meetings of Ulenspiegel, writers and artists, emigrants, editors and graphic artists who somehow survived fascism met for explosive discussions about the present and future of Germany from the democratic beginnings to the Cold War and the split.

The editors were able to help many on the index to obtain a “ clean bill of health ”, the work permit. Now everyone was needed to rebuild a democratic media scene. At first they were supported by the Americans. However, soon after the currency reform , the blockade and the founding of the GDR , they put pressure on the editorial staff because of tendencies too left. The Cold War culminated. Herbert Sandberg finally canceled the license and in 1948 accepted an offer from the Soviet military authorities.

The magazine, now appearing in East Berlin, existed until August 1950, when the license there was also canceled; For the comrades in East Berlin it was now too western and modern.

A competitor in the Soviet sector was the fresh wind , which was called Eulenspiegel after the end of Ulenspiegel and based on its name from 1954 and which still appears in Berlin today.

In 1949 Ulenspiegel-Verlag also published 20 issues of a magazine with the title “Fuff ten for those who are entertained and disgruntled”, edited by Lothar Kusche , and a few book publications.

Authors

Bele Bachem , Johannes R. Becher , Wolfgang Borchert , Bertolt Brecht , Alexander Camaro , Otto Dix , Richard Drews , Alfred Döblin , Jean Effel , Heinrich Ehmsen , René Graetz , George Grosz , John Heartfield , Hannes Hegen , Josef Hegenbarth , Robert Herlth , Stephan Hermlin , Hermann Hesse , Karl Hofer , Karl Holtz , Hanna Höch , Heinrich Kilger the Younger , Werner Klemke , Käthe Kollwitz , Alfred Kubin , Günter Kunert , Lothar Kusche , Erich Kästner , Max Lingner , Horst Lommer (writer) , Jeanne Mammen , Frans Masereel , Arno Mohr , Henry Moore , Oskar Nerlinger , Boris Pasternak , Max Pechstein , Paul Rosié , Jean-Paul Sartre , Albert Schaefer-Ast , Rudolf Schlichter , Robert Wolfgang Schnell , Karl Schnog , Anna Seghers , Elizabeth Shaw , Paul Strecker , Günther Strupp , Georg Tappert , Walter Trier , Kurt Tucholsky , Berthold Viertel , Wolfgang Weyrauch , Günther Weisenborn , Friedrich Wolf , Carl Zuckmayer u. v. a.

Conclusion

Like no other magazine in post-war Germany, Ulenspiegel symbolized the spirit of optimism and the democratic-anti-fascist new beginning up to the polarization in the Cold War and the division of Germany. Many of his employees later shaped the cultural face of both German states.

literature

  • Ulenspiegel / Literature - Art - Satire. Edited by Herbert Sandberg and Günther Weisenborn. Ulenspiegelverlag Berlin 1946-50. (from 1948 also: founded by Herbert Sandberg and Günther Weisenborn). ZDB ID 643400-9
  • Ulenspiegel calendar, Ulenspiegel Verl., Berlin 1950 DNB 588004855
  • Fifteen for the amused and angry. Edited by Lothar Kusche. Ulenspiegel-Verlag, Berlin 1949, 1-20
  • Herbert Sandberg, Günter Kunert, Ulenspiegel - magazine for literature, art and satire. A selection from 1945-1950. Eulenspiegel-Verlag, Berlin, Carl Hanser, Munich 1978. 256 pages ISBN 3-446-12749-6
  • Herbert Sandberg, Ulenspiegel . Satire - art. Germany before division. Edited by the Ludwig Institute Schloß Oberhausen Foundation. Exhibition catalog, Oberhausen oJ [1994], 158 pp.
  • Karl Ludwig Hofmann, Christmut Präger: Ulenspiegel, Wespennest and Simpl. Three post-war satirical magazines . In: War and Peace . Frankfurter Kunstverein. Elefanten Press, Berlin 1980. ISBN 3-88520-048-1
  • Frank Wilhelm, Literary Satire in the Soviet Zone / GDR 1945-1961 . Hamburg, Verlag Dr. Kovač, 1998, 261 pp. ISBN 3-86064-709-1
  • Christine Taberner, Karl Riha, bibliography of the satirical magazine 'Ulenspiegel' (1945-1949) . University - Comprehensive University Siegen, Siegen 1981. 119 pp.