F. H. Ernst Schneidler

Biography

Type designer, teacher, illustrator, designer of bookbindings. Born Friedrich Hermann Ernst Schneidler 14 February 1882 in Berlin. Studied architecture under Peter Behrens and, later, art under F. H. Ehmcke at the Düsseldorf Kunstgewerbeschule. From 1905: taught at the Fachschule für die Solinger Industrie. 1909-19: taught in Wuppertal-Barmen at the Werkstatt für Angewandte Kunst (later: Handwerks- und Kunstgewerbeschule). From 1910: designed books for the publisher Eugen Diederichs, Jena. From 1912: his work reproduced in Der Bücherwurm. 1914: teaching book-cover designs at the Kunstgewerbeschule, Barmen. 1919-48: directed graphic arts department of the Stuttgart Kunstgewerbeschule (later: Stuttgart Staatliche Akademie der bildenden Künste) where he was influential in creating the ‘Stuttgart School’. 1921: founded the Juniperus-Presse (in the Workshop of the Kunstgewerbeschule), which issued 15 publications up to the end of the Press in 1925. 1925-33: worked with his students on Der Wassermann, an immense four-part work of 700 sheets on typography and calligraphy: ‘studies for those who make books’; this highly individual collection was published in 1945 in an edition of 70. His students included Imre Reiner, Georg Salter, Georg Trump, Rudo Spemann, Eva Aschoff and Walter Brudi.

1939: became member of NSDAP. 1944/5: his Stuttgart house and much of his work at the Kunstakademie destroyed during bombing raids; moved to Gundelfingen. c1946: started a new Juniperus-Presse in his country house at Gundelfingen. 1946: allowed by the American occupation government to continue teaching at the re-opened Stuttgart Akademie.

1953: his first exhibition, organized in New York by his friends Paul Standard and Georg Salter. Designer of many printers’ type ornaments and typefaces including Schneidler-Schwabacher (1913-15, Schelter & Giesecke), Schneidler-Fraktur (1919, Schelter & Giesecke), Schneidler-Latein (1919-20, Schelter & Giesecke), Buchdeutsch (1923, Schelter & Giesecke), Suevia-Fraktur (1923, Schriftguss), Graphik ([Herald] 1934, Otto Weisert), Bayreuth (1934/5, Weber), Schneidler-Mediaeval (1936, Bauer), Legende (1937, Bauer), Zentenar-Fraktur (1937, Bauer), Colonia (1939, Ludwig & Mayer), Amalthea italic (1956, Bauer). Died 7 January 1956 in Gundelfingen.

‘Prof. F.H.E. Schneidler…has done more than any living German educator to further modern typographic design,…his most talented students… have found great success in type design and advertising typography.’ (Gustav Stresow, ‘German Typography To-day’, Penrose Annual, 1937, p. 64.)

‘How a man like Schneidler, never satisfied, always searching, could have had such a lasting influence on generations of pupils remains one of the mysteries of teaching.’ (G.K. Schauer, 1966, p. 117)

  • A comprehensive reference to FHES’s work is E. SchumacherGebler, 2002 (see below), which also includes numerous extracts from Schneidler’s correspondence.

Writings by

  • Introduction to the supplement Graphische Abteilung of the Württembergische Staatliche Kunstgewerbeschule, Stuttgart, in AfB, 1927, part 2
  • ‘Problems of art instruction’ (conversation with H.K. Frenzel), Gg, Aug. 1933, pp. 10-21, 66-7
  • Der Wassermann (study sheets for students), Band 1, Stuttgart: Hoffmann, 1945
  • ‘Sehr verehrter lieber Herr Hartmann!’, Georg Hartmann (Festschrift for 75th birthday), Frankfurt a.M.: Der goldene Brunnen, 1946, pp. 71-4
  • Der Wassermann, repr. in WK, 1996, p. 65.

Writings about

  • 1911-37: Heinrich Werner, ‘Künstlerische Packungen und Etiketten’ (packaging, labels), AfB, Nov./Dec. 1911, pp. 347-56
  • Der Bücherwerk, April/May 1912 (work)
  • Jahrbuch des Deutschen Werkbundes, 1912, p. 87 (vignettes)
  • special Lettering issue of Gg, 1925, v. 1 (work)
  • DdW, 1927
  • Niethammer/Mostert, ‘Stuttgart School’ (students of Schneidler), Gg, May 1930, pp. 48-52
  • Konrad Friedrich Bauer, ‘Bericht über neue Schriften’, Imprimatur, 1931, pp. 65-85, esp. p. 85 (Kontrast)
  • Otto Bettmann, ‘Schule und Praxis, Hand in Hand’ (work of the graphics department at the Stuttgart Kunstgewerbeschule), AfB, 1933, pp. 282-4
  • Fritz Homeyer, ‘Germany’, in ‘A survey of the making of books in recent years’, The Dolphin, 1933, pp. 264-88, esp. p. 283
  • note on typeface Bayreuth, AfB, 1936, p. 49
  • Julius Rodenberg, ‘“Wär nicht das Auge sonnenhaft…”’ (on Schneidler’s and his students’ work), AfB, 1936, pp. 471-6 (the 98-page supplement that follows is devoted to the work of Schneidler’s students at Stuttgart)
  • Bauer Typefoundry ad for Legende, Imprimatur, 1936/7, p. 230
  • note on Legende, Gg, Oct. 1937, p. 67
  • ‘Die neuen Schriften des Jahres 1937’ (Legende and Zentenar), Deutscher Drucker, Dec. 1937, p. 101, and p. 113 (ad for Legende)
  • Carl Wagner, ‘Bauer’s Type-foundry 1837-1937’ (centenary), AfB, 1937, pp. 439-43 plus 20-page supplement (in German and English
  • 1938-40: ‘Legend’, Typography 5, Spring 1938, p. 44
  • note on Zentenar-Fraktur, Gg, May 1938, p. 63
  • Deutscher Drucker, Aug. 1938 (8-page Bauer supplement showing Legende, Schneidler-Mediäval, Zentenar-Fraktur)
  • ‘Type und Typographie’, Gg, Sept. 1938 (8-page Bauer supplement showing Legende, Schneidler-Mediäval, Zentenar-Fraktur)
  • Wilhelm H. Lange, ‘Schriftkünstler von heute’ (contemporary type-designers), AfB, 1939, pp. 59-70, esp. p. 69
  • Julius Zeitler, ‘Vom Pressendruck in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart’, AfB, 1939, pp. 187-202 (esp. p. 194)
  • AfB, 1939, p. 587 (1911 bookcover)
  • Klimschs Jahrbuch, 1939, p. 143 (Zentenar)
  • W.G. Oschilewski, ‘Eugen Diederichs. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der neuen Deutschen Buchkunst’, Imprimatur, 1939/40, pp. 17-32 plus 4-p. inset
  • Albert Windisch, ‘Deutsche Werkschriften-Gestalter seit 1900’, Imprimatur, 1939/40, pp. 81-97
  • Heinrich Jost, ‘Die neue Buchkunst in Deutschland’ (typographic design changes), Imprimatur, 1939/40, pp. 105-28
  • Curt Tillmann, ‘Die Entwicklung des Buchumschlages’ (bookjackets), Imprimatur, 1939/40, pp. 145-59
  • F.H. Ehmcke, ‘Vom Zeitausdruck ornamentaler Schrift’, Gutenberg Jahrbuch, 1940, pp. 75-84, esp. pp. 80, 81, 83
  • 1941-56: Julius Rodenberg, Die Druckkunst als Spiegel der Kultur in fünf Jahrhunderten, Berlin: Druckgewerblischer Verlag der Preussischen Verlags, 1942 (repr. in WK, 1996, p. 63)
  • Konrad F. Bauer, ‘Magic and the art of writing’, Typographica 1949, 1, pp. 5-12
  • HS, 1952, pp. 35, 38, 77
  • Paul Standard, ‘The restoration of calligraphy’, Graphis 50, 1953, pp. 428-43, 492-4
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘Pioneers of German commercial art’, Gg, Jan. 1954, pp. 4-19
  • W.G. Oschilewski, ‘F.H. Ernst Schneidler zum Gedenken’, Form und Technik, 1956, pp. 42-4
  • Papier und Druck (Legende), Jan. 1956, p. 14
  • Konrad F. Bauer, ‘F.H. Ernst Schneidler’ (obituary), Der Druckspiegel, Feb. 1956
  • Der Polygraph, 5 Feb. 1956, p. 97 (obituary)
  • Robert Henry, ‘F.H. Ernst Schneidler’ (obituary), Gg, March 1956, pp. 55-6
  • ‘Professor F.H. Ernst Schneidler’ (obituary), AfDuP, 1956, 1, p. 93
  • J. Rodenberg, ‘Vom unerschöpflichen Leben der Schrift…’ (obituary), Der Druckspiegel, June 1956
  • Hans Hermann Hagedorn, ‘Erinnerungen an F.H. Ernst Schneidler’, Imprimatur, 1956/7, pp. 125-38 plus 6-page inset
  • Georg Kurt Schauer, ‘Gedenken, Gruss und Dank’, Imprimatur, 1956/7, pp. 196, 197-8
  • J. Rodenberg, ‘F.H. Ernst Schneidler’, Das Antiquariat, XIII/1-2
  • J. Rodenberg, ‘…F.H. Ernst Schneidler’ (obituary), Der Druckspiegel, 1956, 11, pp. 361-3 and inset
  • J. Rodenberg and Eva Aschoff, ‘F.H.E. Schneidler’ (obituary), Graphis 64, 1956, pp. 114-19, 181, 183
  • E. Hölscher, ‘The eternally young Pelican firm’ (logos, advertisements), Gg, May 1956, pp. 16-25
  • Franz Gerhardinger, ‘The legal protection of type-casting products’, AfDuP, 1956, v. 2, pp. 149-60, and v. 3, pp. 257-68
  • 1957-70: J. Rodenberg, ‘Ernst Schneidler als Lehrer und Künstler’, Bildende Kunst, 1957, 2, pp. 122-6
  • Hans Kinkel, ‘Schriftkünstler und Maler – Ernst Schneidler Gedächtnis Ausstellung in Stuttgart’ (obituary), Die Weltkunst, 15 August 1957, p. 8
  • J. Rodenberg, ‘F.H. Ernst Schneidler: Dem grossen Künstler und Lehrer zum Gedächtnis’, Gutenberg-Jahrbuch, 1957, pp. 15-20
  • ‘Der Nachlass von F.H. Ernst Schneidler kommt nach Offenbach’, Gg, June 1958, p. 60
  • ‘Der Nachlass von F.H. Ernst Schneidler kommt nach Offenbach’, Form und Technik, 1958, p. 326
  • showing of Amalthea, Gg, Jan. 1958, p. 57
  • J. Rodenberg, ‘F.H. Ernst Schneidler in memoriam’, Buchkunst, 1959, 3, pp. 23-38
  • Konrad Friedrich Bauer, Wie eine Buchdruckschrift entsteht, Frankfurt a.M.: Bauer Typefoundry, 1960
  • GKS, 1963, pp. 21-2, 187-94 (‘Die Stuttgarter Schule’ and ‘Schneidlers Nachfolge’)
  • G.K. Schauer, ‘The Art of the Book in Germany…’, in Book Typography 1815-1965, (Kenneth Day, ed.)., London: Ernest Benn Ltd, 1966
  • WM, 1966
  • 1971-90: GKS, 1978
  • G.K. Schauer, ‘Gegenwart und Zukunft unserer Buchkultur’, Philobiblon, March 1978, pp. 6-18
  • G.K. Schauer, ‘Dämonie des Schreibens’ (F.H.E. Schneidler and his ‘Stuttgart School’), Aus dem Antiquariat, 1979, 11, pp. A393-400, and continued in 1979, 12 (repr. in WK, 1996, pp. 85-8)
  • Jürgen Eyssen, Buchkunst in Deutschland, Hannover, 1980
  • Hans K. Schlegel, ed., Schneidler, Stuttgart: Technische Abteilungen der Fachhochschule für Druck, 1982
  • ‘“Der künstlerisch begabte Mensch denkt anders”’, Graphik, 1982, 9, pp. 38-9 (pp. 40-41: ‘Die Adaptation der Schneidler-Mediäval’ [for phototypesetting])
  • SC, 1987
  • Walter Wilkes, ‘Handpressendruck in Deutschland im 20. Jahrhundert’, Imprimatur, Band XII, 1987, pp. 11-19
  • 1991-present: Eugen Diederichs Verlag, Munich: Heinrich Hugendubel, 1996 (dealer’s cat.)
  • WK, 1996, esp. pp. 196-7
  • Thomas Heck, ‘F.H. Schneidler als Illustrator’, Illustration 63, Nov. 1997, pp. 53-6 (contains list of books illustrated by Ernst Schneidler, 1909-25)
  • DMK, 1997 (see ‘Buchgewerbe’ index)
  • DBE, 1998
  • Irmgard Heidler, ‘F.H. Ehmcke und sein Schüler F.H.E. Schneidler: Buchkunst und Signets’, in IH’s Der Verleger Eugen Diederichs und seine Welt (1896-1930), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1998, pp. 698-712
  • Ernst Schneidler (exh. leaflet), Offenbach a.M.: Klingspor Museum, 1999
  • Max Caflisch, Albert Kapr, Eckehart SchumacherGebler, Antonia Weiss, Hans Peter Willberg, F.H. Ernst Schneidler/Schriftentwerfer, Lehrer, Kalligraph, Munich: SchumacherGebler, 2002
  • RK, 2004
  • Philipp Bertheau, ‘F.H. Ernst Schneidler. Eine Monographie’ (review of Willberg, 2002), Aus dem Antiquariat, 4/2005, 12 August, pp. 317-19
  • Max Bollwage, ‘Kalligraph aus Leidenschaft. Rudo Spemann und die Stuttgarter Schule unter F.H. Ernst Schneidler’, Gutenberg Jahrbuch, 2006, pp. 342-8 (inc. biblio)
  • Richard Healy, review of F.H. Ernst Schneidler/Schriftentwerfer, Lehrer, Kalligraph, (2002) in Matrix 28, Summer 2009, pp. 131-40
  • www.klingspor-museum.de.

Exhibitions

  • Deutscher Werkbund, Cologne, 1914
  • New York, 1953
  • Munich, and Landesgewerbebeamt, Stuttgart, 1957
  • Galerie der Stadt, Stuttgart, 1982
  • Klingspor Museum, Offenbach a.M., 1982, 1999
  • Kunsthaus Bühler, Stuttgart, 1989.

Collections

  • (Including Juniperus-Presse) Klingspor Museum, Offenbach a.M.