Walter Tiemann

Biography

One of the leading instructors and type designers of the period. Born 29 January 1876 in Delitzsch, Saxony. Studied painting for two years at the Dresden Kunstakademie but became interested in poster design. By 1902 he was ‘decorating’ books; by 1903 he was teaching. Visited England (1904), Paris (1905). With his childhood friend Carl Ernst Poeschel founded the first private press in Germany, the Janus-Presse (1907-26), in Leipzig (first publication: Goethe’s Romische Elegien). The design of these limited editions was inspired by that of the English Doves Press (founded 1900 in London by T. J. Cobden-Sanderson and Emery Walker). Tiemann designed numerous title-pages and book bindings for the Janus-Presse and, later, for other publishers including Insel-Verlag and Julius Zeitler; in all, he designed hundreds of bindings. 1908-10: designed the Munich art journal Hyperion. From 1909: taught at the Leipzig State Academy for the Book Trade and Graphic Arts (Akademie für graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe) (1920-41, 1945-6: director). 1910: became chairman of the Vereins Deutscher Buchkünstler (VDB: Association of German Book Artists). By 1911 he had designed numerous publishers’ logos (see AfB, Feb 1911, p. 39, below in Lit.). From 1920: member of Deutschen Buchgewerbeverein. From 1920: designed Das Inselschiff, journal of the publisher Insel Verlag. 1923: founding member of the Bund Meister der Einbandkunst (Association of Master Bookbinding Designers). His bookbinding designs received much notice and were frequently reproduced. 1926: awarded honorary doctorate, University of Leipzig. 1937: organised Internationale Buchkunst exhibition at Schriftmuseum Rudolf Blanckertz, Berlin.

During the war he had been director of the Leipzig Akademie: ‘That was the Academy’s good fortune. If any man could save the integrity of the school as an institution of higher education [from Nazi influence and pressure], Tiemann was that man.’ (Eberhardt, 1997) ‘Walter Tiemann emerged from World War II unbroken….Passionately refusing the abominations of the Hitler era, he had to give up his much loved teaching position at the Academy….His only son died on the last day of the war. Shaken to the depths, but unbowed by the disaster, he returned once more to his teaching post [on 1 August 1945] in order to recover whatever could still be rescued from the ruins. But soon, as early as the first months of 1946, he had to acknowledge that once again there were powers at work that were alien to him…’. (Schauer, 1953, 1976, p. 98, tr. SM)

Designed about 20 typefaces in both roman and Fraktur styles for the Klingspor typefoundry including: Mediäval (1908-9), Halbfette Tiemann-Mediaeval (1911), Halbfette Tiemann-Kursiv (1912), Tiemann-Mediaeval-Kursiv (1912), Tiemann-Fraktur (1914, 1921), Peter Schemihl (1921), Kleist-Fraktur (1926-8), Narciss (1915-21), Halbfette Tiemann-Fraktur (1921), Tiemann-Antiqua (1922-3), Tiemann-Gotisch (1924), Orpheus (1926-8), Daphnis (1928-9), Fichte-Fraktur (1933-5), Euphorion (1929-36), Offizin (1952). Died 12 September 1951 in Leipzig. An international Walter Tiemann Prize is awarded by the Leipzig Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst to encourage young book designers.

Writings by

  • introduction, in Hans Loubier, Die neue deutsche Buchkunst, Stuttgart: Krais, 1921
  • ‘Neue Ziele und Pläne der Staatlichen Akademie für Graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe, Leipzig’, AfB, Jan./Feb. 1922 (Leipzig no.), pp. 5-7
  • Fritz Hünich, ‘Die Janus- und Insel-Presse, Die Bücherstube, 1923, pp. 131-3
  • Der Geist in der Flasche, Offenbach a.M.: Klingspor, 1926
  • ‘Die Staatliche Akademie für Graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe, Leipzig’, Deutscher Drucker, July 1927, pp. 841-5
  • introduction, Buchkunst, Leipzig: Akademie für graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe, 1931
  • ‘Verdandi’, in Carl Ernst Poeschel zum sechzigsten Geburtstage, Leipzig: Offizin Poeschel & Trepte, 1934 (Festschrift), pp. 154-7
  • introduction, Buchkunst, Leipzig: Akademie, 1935
  • ‘Kunst und Geschmack aus Aufsätzen und Reden’, Philobiblon, v. 1, 1938, pp. 9-10
  • ‘Gedanken zur neuen deutschen Buchkunst’, Imprimatur, 1939/40, pp. 98-104 (talk on Rudolf Koch and E.R. Weiss at exh. of their work, Staatliche Kunstbibliothek, Berlin, Feb. 1939)
  • ‘Worte von Walter Tiemann’ (brief writings, 1930-39), Festschrift des Bücherwurms, Markkleeberg-Leipzig: Karl Rauch, 1939, 2pp. between pp. 48/9
  • ‘Grafische Kleinkunst: Der Schriftkünstler Hans Möhring’, Das Buchgewerbe, v. 5, 1947, pp. 113-17
  • ‘Die deutsche Typengestaltung seit 1900’, Gutenberg Jahrbuch, 1950, pp. 299-305
  • ‘Dr h.c. Karl Klingspor’ (obituary), Das Buchgewerbe, 1950, v. 3, pp. 122-3
  • Beseelte Kalligraphie, In Memoriam Rudo Spemann, Offenbach a.M.: Gebr. Klingspor, 1950/1951
  • ‘Der Jugendstil im Deutschen Buch’, Gutenberg Jahrbuch, 1951, pp. 182-91.

Writings about

  • A comprehensive reference is Anneliese Hübscher, Traditionen Leipziger Buchkunst, 1989 (see below).
  • 1903-35: Julius Zeitler, ‘Walter Tiemann’, AfB, 1903, v. 11/12, pp. 465-71
  • Jean Loubier, ‘Die neue Buchkunst’, in Ludwig Volkmann, Das moderne Buch, Stuttgart: Krais, 1910, pp. 271-300
  • Johannes Schinnerer, ‘Moderne Signete’, AfB, Feb. 1911, pp. 38-41
  • Georg Biermann, ‘Neue deutsche Buchkunst’, AfB, April 1911, pp. 104-12
  • L. Deubner, ‘The art of the book in Germany’, in Charles Holme (ed.), The Art of the Book, London/Paris/New York: The Studio, 1914 (repr. Dorset Press, 1990), pp. 131, 146, 147
  • F.H. Ehmcke, ‘Wahrzeichen – Warenzeichen’ (trademarks), Das Plakat, Feb. 1921, pp. 69-100
  • Horst Stobbe, Janus Press bibliography, Die Bücherstube, 1923, p. 175
  • Julius Zeitler, ‘Über Künstlersignete’, Die Reklame, Feb. 1925, pp141-3, 145
  • JR, 1926
  • Herbert Reichner, review of WT’s Der Geist in der Flasche, Die Bücherstube, 1926
  • ‘Ein Fünfzigjähriger’, Deutscher Buch- und Stein Drucker, Feb. 1926, p. 428
  • Das Buch von Leipzig, Munich: Piper, 1929 (p. 163: drawing of WT as performer in masquerade put on by Akademie)
  • note on typeface Kleist-Fraktur, Gg, June 1930, p. 79
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘Marken und Signete’ (publishers’ logos), AfB, 1930, pp. 201-26, esp. p. 211 (Insel logos), p. 223 (logos for S. Fischer)
  • ‘A new type by Prof. Tiemann’ (showing of Daphnis), Printing Review, Spring 1932, p. 260
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Back to twenty years ago’, Gg, Jan. 1934, pp. 17-32, esp. p. 26
  • ‘Die Staatl. Akademie für Graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe zu Leipzig’, DzS, July 1935
  • Otto Lerche, ‘Das deutsche evangelische Gesangbuch’, AfB, Aug. 1935, pp. 415-31
  • 1936-8: Julius Zeitler, ‘Walter Tiemann’, Deutscher Drucker, Jan. 1936, pp. 129-35
  • ‘Walter Tiemann’s sixtieth birthday’, AfB, 1936, pp. 43-6
  • J. Zeitler, ‘Walter Tiemann. On the occasion of his 60th birthday’, Gg, March 1936, pp. 62-3
  • Julius Zeitler, ‘Walter Tiemann’, DzS, April 1936, pp.51-8 (types, posters, book covers)
  • AfB, May 1936, insert before p. 1: Klingspor ad showing WT’s typefaces
  • Erhard Göpel, Walter Tiemann (WT’s 60th birthday), Offenbach a.M.: Gebr. Klingspor, 1936 (includes types and dates)
  • AfB, 1937, p. 218 (Fichte, Mediaeval, Euphorion)
  • ‘Ausstellung Walter Tiemann’, Deutscher Drucker, Oct. 1937, p. 21
  • E. Hölscher, ‘Book titles in manuscript characters with examples by Walter Tiemann’, DzS, Oct. 1937, pp. 8-13
  • Traugott Schalcher, ‘Walter Tiemann’, Gg, Nov. 1937, pp. 27-36
  • ‘Über Walter Tiemann’, Philobiblon, v. 1, 1938, pp. 6-8
  • Wilhelm H. Lange, ‘Bibliographie der Klingspor-Drucke’, Philobiblon, 1938, pp. 263-76 (Karl Klingspor special no.)
  • review of the Internationale Buchkunst exhibition, Schriftmuseum, Berlin, DzS, April 1938, p. 46
  • W. H. Lange, ‘Karl Klingspor und die Schrift’, AfB, Nov. 1938, pp. 423-8
  • Walter Hofmann, ‘Der Wegbereiter schöner Schriften: Dr Karl Klingspor’, AfB, Nov. 1938, pp. 429-78 (inset includes 13 pp. of WT’s work)
  • Erhard Göpel, ‘Vom produktiven Sammeln’ (Karl Klingspor), AfB, 1938, pp. 479-83
  • 1939-49: Wilhelm H. Lange, ‘Schriftkünstler von heute’ (contemporary type-designers), AfB, Jan. 1939, pp. 59-70
  • Julius Zeitler, ‘Vom Pressendruck in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart’, AfB, 1939, pp. 187-202 (esp. p. 191)
  • AfB, 1939, p. 613 (‘Bugra’ poster, 1913)
  • Annemarie Meiner, ‘Die Anfänge des Insel-Verlags’, Imprimatur, 1939/40, pp. 45-68
  • 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
  • Julius Rodenberg, ‘Walter Tiemann’, In der Schmiede der Schrift, Berlin: Büchergilde Gutenberg, 1940, pp. 81-88, 121-33 (photo: 88c)
  • Fritz Adolf Hünich, ‘Fünfzig Jahre Insel-Verlag’, Das Buchgewerbe, 1949, v. 10, pp. 254-9
  • 1950-63: Ellic Howe, review of Karl Klingspor’s Über Schönheit, in Signature, 1950, pp. 51-2
  • [Anton Sailer], note on WT’s Beseelte Kalligraphie, in Gg, April 1951, p. 63
  • HS, 1952, pp. 17, 18, 40, 58, 71
  • Hermann Leins and others, 50 Jahre C.E. Poeschel Verlag, 1902-52, Stuttgart: 1952, p. 27 (Poeschel logo, 1906)
  • Albert Windisch, Professor Dr.h.c. Walter Tiemann, Mainz: Gutenberg-Gesellschaft, 1953
  • ‘Zum Gedenken an Walter Tiemann’ (obituary), Der Polygraph, 20 June 1953, supplement
  • Walter Tiemann. Ein Vermächtnis (introduction: G.K. Schauer), Offenbach a.M.: Klingspor, 1953 (repr. in GKS, Von den Herbergen des Geistes, Krefeld: Scherpe, 1976)
  • Eberhard Hölscher, comment on Walter Tiemann. Ein Vermächtnis
  • in Gg, Aug. 1953, p. 60
  • ‘Die Privatpressen mit besonderer Berücksichtigung’, Form und Technik, 1955, pp. 442-50
  • Franz Gerhardinger, ‘The legal protection of type-casting products’, AfDuP, 1956, v. 2, pp. 149-60, and v. 3, pp. 257-68
  • MGBD, 1959, pp. 24-5
  • Hans Leitmeier, ‘Die Bedeutung des Jugendstiles für das deutsche Buch und Walter Tiemanns Anteil daran’, Gutenberg Jahrbuch, 1959, pp. 184-210 (includes paragraphs on other Jugendstil designers: Behrens, Cissarz, Hupp, Lechter, etc.)
  • GKS, 1962
  • GKS, 1963, pp. 152-7
  • 1964-present: Lothar Lang, ‘Die Buchkunst des Insel-Verlages’, Illustration 63, Nov. 1969, pp. 81-4
  • 75 Jahre Insel Verlag, Frankfurt a.M.: Insel, 1974
  • GKS, 1976
  • GKS, 1978
  • G.K. Schauer, ‘Gegenwart und Zukunft unserer Buchkultur’, Philobiblon, March 1978, pp. 6-18
  • novum, Jan. 1979, p. 33 (publisher’s logo)
  • HN, 1985
  • Pfäfflin, 1986
  • Walter Wilkes, ‘Handpressendruck in Deutschland im 20. Jahrhundert’, Imprimatur, Band XII, 1987, pp. 11-19
  • SC, 1987
  • Anneliese Hübscher, ‘Walter Tiemann’, Traditionen Leipziger Buchkunst, (Albert Kapr, ed.), Leipzig: VEB Fachbuchverlag, 1989, pp. 67-113 (drawing of WT, p. 66)
  • Herbert Kästner, ‘Buchillustration im Insel-Verlag 1899-1930’, Aus dem Antiquariat, 1990, 5, pp. A181-98
  • Michael Reiter, ‘Fünf Jahrgänge bei Drugulin: Form, Inhalt und Zielsetzung der “Zeitschrift für Bücherfreunde” 1909-14’, Aus dem Antiquariat, 1991, 3, pp. A111-17
  • HAH, 1991
  • Anja Grebe, ‘40 Jahre Buchkunst in Leipzig’ (anniversary of the Institut für Buchkunst), Illustration 63, 1, 1996, pp. 16-18
  • Fritz Eberhardt, ‘Ancient Crafts in Modern Times’, Norman, Oklahoma: Letter Arts Review, 1997, 14/1, p. 16
  • DMK, 1997 (see ‘Akzidenzdruck’ index, ‘Buchgewerbe’ index)
  • DBE, 1999
  • Roland Stark, ‘Walter Tiemann und Julius Zeitler – eine Lebensfreundschaft mit späten Schatten’, Leipziger Jahrbuch zur Buchgeschichte, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2000, pp. 81-114
  • Jerry Kelly, ‘Klingspor calendars’, Matrix, Winter 2003, pp. 148-54
  • Benezit, 2006
  • Richard Healy, ‘Germany‘s First Private Press‘, Matrix, Winter 2007, pp. 136-43.

Exhibitions

  • ‘Modern German Bindings’, First Editions Club, London, June 1933
  • Schriftmuseum, Berlin, 1937
  • University Library, Heidelberg, 1972.

Collections

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