Hellmuth Weissenborn

Hellmuth Weissenborn, Illustrations, wood-engravings, linocuts. Born 29 December 1898 in Leipzig. While studying art history, ethnology and philosophy at the University of Leipzig (Ph.D, 1925, he also studied art at the Leipzig Akademie für graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe: a teacher was Walter Tiemann. 1916-18: military service (machine-gun corps). 1919: studied at the Leipzig Akademie and at the University (D.Phil.). 1926-37: taught at the Leipzig Akademie; produced small books and ephemera, notably book-plates. His teaching position at the Akademie ended 1 April 1937 because his wife Edith (whom he had married in 1931) was Jewish. (‘Willi Geiger and Hugo Steiner-Prag were the first sacrifices claimed by the wild Nationalism.’) (HW, Illustration 63, Aug. 1980). He and his wife and son first went to Denmark. Jan. 1939: emigrated to England. 1940: became interested in wood-engraving, 1940/41: interned for six months on the Isle of Man when war broke out. 1941: divorced from Edith. 1942-70: visiting lecturer at Ravensbourne College of Art, London. From 1943: illustrated numerous books for children. 1945: with his second wife Lesley (Macdonald), co-founded the Acorn Press in London which produced limited editions illustrated with his linocuts and wood-engravings. 1979: awarded Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, Federal Republic of Germany. Died 2 September 1982 in London. Lesley Macdonald-Weissenborn died 22 May 2001 in London at the age of 89.

sources:

• Oak Knoll
• Info Culture Journal
• German designers