Fritz Eichenberg (German-Am.)

Born 1901, Cologne, Germany
Died 1990, Peace Dale, Rhode Island

Eichenberg is one of the great masters of the wood graver in the 20th Century. He received his graphic arts training in Leipzig at the Academy of Graphic Arts. He moved to Berlin in 1926, was married and took a job as staff artist for the Ultstein publishing chain. This lasted until 1933 when he moved to the United States.

Eichenberg illustrated many books (some say over 100 - Eichenberg lists 41 by 1977) the first of which when he was 21 years old. In the United States commissions for book illustration came regularly, many of which are the classics of literature such as Crime and Punishment, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Eugene Onegin, Tales of Edgar Allan Poe and what he considers his magnum opus - The Brothers Karamazov. On that book he was allowed by the publisher to pick the book he wanted to do. He also was intrigued with the writing of Desiderius Erasmus (1456-1536), resulting in a 10 print folio titled - In Praise of Folly.

During his stint as an illustrator for Ultstein he had done some cartoons of Hitler that were really anti-Hitler and anti Nazi cartoons. He could see what was coming but was always amazed that his employers could not. In 1933 he left Germany, traveling first to Central America and Mexico, sending articles back for publication, then up to the United States. In the fall of 1933 he went back to Germany, gathered his family and left Germany quickly, always thereafter feeling blessed that he never once had to say “Heil Hitler”.

In New York there was work with the Federal Arts Project and book illustration His early wood engravings from New York were printed by Ernest Roth. He also worked on lithography in the early 40’s and those were usually printed by George Miller. In doing his books he frequently studied the background of the period so that his work would have the “soul” it should have. Russian friends praised his understanding of the “Russian Soul”. In 1963 he met premier Khrushchev who couldn't understand how someone interpreting Russian literature so well in illustration had never been to Russia!

He was also involved in teaching, first as an instructor in 1947 and serving eventually as professor and chairman of the art department at the Pratt Institute until 1968. An excellent book that reviews his work and career is Eichenberg’s own The Wood and the Graver, 1977.