Heinrich Zille

Heinrich Zille
Self-portrait 1922
Born	Rudolf Heinrich Zille (1858-01-10)10 January 1858 Radeburg, Kingdom of Saxony
Died	9 August 1929(1929-08-09) (aged 71) Berlin, Weimar Republic
Nationality	German
Occupation(s)	illustrator, caricaturist, lithographer, and photographer

Rudolf Heinrich Zille (10 January 1858 – 9 August 1929) was a German illustrator, caricaturist, lithographer, and photographer, best known for his empathetic and satirical depictions of Berlin's working-class life.

Life and work

Childhood and youth

Johann Traugott Zille and his wife Ernestine Louise (Zille's parents).

Zille was the son of Johann Traugott Zille (1824–1909), a watchmaker from Colditz, and Ernestine Louise (née Heinitz, 1832–1908), the daughter of a silver miner from Erbisdorf in the Ore Mountains. Claims emerged 15 years after Johann Traugott Zille's death suggesting that he had previously worked as a blacksmith. This assertion likely aimed to portray Heinrich Zille as an artist "of the people." However, neither his profession as a lithographer nor his father’s career as a watchmaker, both associated with the lower middle class, aligned with this narrative. These claims have been conclusively disproved through historical documents.

Zille was born in the small Saxon town of Radeburg, near Dresden, in a rear building that is now Markt 11. Today, a commemorative plaque honours his birthplace. Shortly after his birth, the northern side of the market square burned down, prompting the Zille family to move to the former "Stadt Leipzig" inn, now located at Heinrich-Zille-Straße 1. Zille lived there until the age of three.

In September 1861, Zille's father purchased a property in Dresden for 5,000 thalers, where the family subsequently relocated. After a year and a half, the property was sold, yielding a profit of 600 thalers. Over the following years, the family resided at four different addresses in the Saxon capital.

In the summer of 1868, the family's failure to pay the biannual sidewalk taxes alerted authorities to their departure. By this time, the family had moved to Berlin, where they lived in impoverished conditions. Their residence was a basement apartment at Kleine Andreasstraße 17, near the Schlesischer Bahnhof (now Ostbahnhof). Zille remained in this location until the age of 14, enduring difficult living circumstances.

During this period, Zille contributed to the family's finances by taking on various jobs, including delivering milk, bread rolls, and newspapers. He also performed tasks such as carrying luggage and running errands as a messenger.

Early artistic influences and career beginnings

Zille was deeply influenced by the engravings of William Hogarth, which he encountered in the affordable weekly scientific journal Das Pfennig-Magazin (The Penny Magazine). While attending school, he took up drawing lessons, covering the expenses himself. His private drawing instructor, Anton Spanner, encouraged Zille to pursue a career in lithography. During a discussion about career prospects, Spanner remarked: "If you become a lithographer, you can sit well-dressed with a collar and tie in a comfortable room. You won't sweat, and your hands won't get dirty. What more could you want?"

Initially, Zille's father hoped he would become a butcher. However, Zille's inability to tolerate the sight of blood led him to seek an alternative path. He subsequently undertook an apprenticeship with the lithographer Fritz Hecht, based on Alte Jakobstraße in Berlin-Kreuzberg.

Studies and early career

While pursuing his artistic development, Zille studied under the painter, illustrator, and caricaturist Professor Theodor Hosemann at the Royal School of Art in Berlin. Hosemann, known for his humorous yet precise observations of Berlin's 'petty bourgeoisie', encouraged Zille to draw inspiration from direct observation rather than imitation. He offered this memorable advice: "You should go out into the streets, into the open air, and observe for yourself—that is better than copying. Whatever you become, you will always find it useful in life; no thinking person should be unable to draw." Zille also attended evening classes twice a week under Professor Carl Domschke, where he gained foundational knowledge in anatomical drawing.

After completing his studies, Zille began his professional journey in 1875, working for various establishments. His assignments included designing women's fashion, creating patterns for lighting fixtures, and producing kitsch and advertising motifs. He also drew portraits of colleagues for enjoyment or small fees. He expanded his technical knowledge at the lithographic institute Winckelmann und Söhne, where he mastered various graphic techniques, including colour printing, zincography, stereotype printing, retouching, etching, collotype printing, and photogravure. At Winckelmann, Zille worked alongside future animal painters Oskar Frenzel and Richard Friese.

On 1 October 1877, Zille secured a position as a journeyman with the Photographische Gesellschaft publisher and printer in Berlin, located at Dönhoffplatz. He remained with the company for 30 years, except for interruptions due to military service. As printing technology was still in its infancy around the turn of the century, and fully developed image printing on letterpress machines was not yet available—autotypy (halftone) having only been invented in 1880—retouchers produced photographic reproductions of the originals, which were meticulously corrected using retouching tools. This painstaking process was essential for achieving high-quality printed images during that era.

Military service

First World War 1914–1918 Illustration Series: Frankreich nach Russland, Vadding in Ost und West (Vaddingserie III. Folge) (France to Russia, Father in East and West (Father Series Part III), Berlin, 1916. Featuring 25 original illustrations by Zille. Price: 1 Papiermark

From 1880 to 1882, Zille completed his military service as a grenadier with the Leib-Grenadier-Regiment, First Brandenburg Regiment No. 8, in Frankfurt (Oder) and as a guard at the Sonnenburg prison (now Słońsk in Poland). For Zille, these years were an unpleasant experience, which he documented in numerous notes and sketches during his free time. In one instance, he wrote: "We were assigned to the companies, entered the barracks, and the bedbugs were already lying in wait. In the beds, there was decaying rubbish, chaff as straw. Bad food. In return, we were daily smeared by the officers with a cesspool of barracks-yard witticisms and jokes. [...] It was part of troop training for such a fop of a lieutenant to be allowed on Sunday mornings, during locker inspections, to point at the picture of my beloved affixed to the inside of the door and ask mockingly: 'Your sow?'"

During his two years of service, Zille created episodic soldier sketches, mostly with a humorous tone; however, many of these works have been lost. He later processed his own military experiences in his "anecdotal soldier and war illustrations," which were published during the First World War in 1915 and 1916 as a series under the titles Vadding in Frankreich I u. II (Father in France I and II) and Vadding in Ost und West III (Father in East and West III). These satirical yet predominantly patriotic booklets were widely regarded as glorifying war. Consequently, at the suggestion of his friend Otto Nagel, Zille produced more poignant anti-war illustrations titled Kriegsmarmelade (War Marmalade), although these were published long after the war in small editions and by then had lost much of their relevance.

Marriage, family life, and creative developments

Heinrich Zille as a young father with his wife Hulda and one of their three children.

Following his discharge from military service, Zille returned to work at the Photographische Gesellschaft. Shortly after resuming his position, he met Hulda Frieske, the daughter of a master needlemaker and teacher. The couple married on 15 December 1883 in Fürstenwalde, shortly after Hulda's eighteenth birthday on 22 September. At the time of their marriage, Zille was 25 years old.

The newlyweds initially lived in a basement apartment on Grenzweg, Boxhagen-Rummelsburg (now Fischerstraße, in what is now known as Berlin-Rummelsburg). Their first child, Margarete, was born in 1884 at their residence on Lichtenberger Kietz 13. However, tragedy struck in 1886 when another daughter did not survive childbirth. The family welcomed a son, Hans, in 1888 at their home on Türrschmidtstraße, to which they had moved in 1887. Their second son, Walter, who would later become a graphic artist († 1959), was born in 1891 on Mozartstraße (now Geusenstraße). The family’s residences during this period were all located in the eastern suburb of Berlin, in the area known as Victoriastadt in Lichtenberg.

In 1892, the family relocated to a three-room apartment in Berlin-Charlottenburg, at Sophie-Charlotten-Straße 88, on the fourth floor. This residence remained Zille's home for nearly 40 years, up until his death. The new location brought them closer to Zille's workplace at the Photographische Gesellschaft, which had moved to the newly developed villa district of Westend. This phase marked one of the most creatively productive periods of Zille's career. Although he doubted his potential for success as an artist, Zille continued to dedicate his spare time to his drawings and observational studies. His artistic style during this time reflected the influence of the popular publication Die Gartenlaube (the first successful mass-circulation German newspaper and a forerunner of all modern magazines).

Zille's wife, Hulda, passed away in 1919. Despite his personal loss, Zille continued to dedicate himself to his art, using his work to shed light on the struggles and resilience of Berlin's working-class communities.

Secession and success as an artist

Zille became best known for his often humorous drawings, which captured the defining characteristics of people, particularly 'stereotypes', predominantly from Berlin. Many of these works were published in the German weekly satirical newspaper Simplicissimus. He was the first artist to vividly depict the desperate social conditions of the Berlin Mietskaserne (literally 'tenement barracks')—overcrowded buildings where up to a dozen people might share a single room. These spaces housed individuals who had fled rural areas during the Gründerzeit, seeking opportunities in the rapidly expanding industrial metropolis, only to encounter even deeper poverty within the burgeoning proletarian class.

Possessing an extraordinary talent for depicting the harsh realities of urban life with caustic humour and profound humanity. His works illustrated the struggles of society's most marginalised, including disabled beggars, tuberculosis-afflicted prostitutes, and poorly paid labourers, as well as their children. Zille’s art highlighted their resilience and unyielding determination to find moments of joy and dignity amidst hardship. By blending satire with compassion, he brought attention to the grim living conditions of Berlin’s working classes, particularly those residing in overcrowded tenements, offering a poignant critique of the social challenges of his era.

Portrait of Heinrich Zille by Hugo Erfurth, 1922

Despite his achievements, Zille did not regard himself as a true artist, often stating that his work was the product of hard labour rather than innate talent. Despite this, he was championed by Max Liebermann, who invited him to join the Berlin Secession in 1903. Liebermann prominently featured Zille's work in exhibitions, encouraged him to sell his drawings, and provided significant support during a critical juncture in Zille's life. When Zille lost his job as a lithographer in 1907, Liebermann urged him to pursue a livelihood solely through his art.

The Berlin 'common people' held him in the highest regard, and his fame reached its zenith late in life during the Roaring Twenties, a period marked by both widespread poverty and a flourishing of artistic expression. In 1921, the National Gallery acquired some of his drawings, and in 1924, the Academy of the Arts recognised his contributions by bestowing upon him a professorship. In 1925, Gerhard Lamprecht directed the film Die Verrufenen (The Outcasts; Slums of Berlin), inspired by Zille's cartoon characters and stories. His 70th birthday in 1928 was celebrated across Berlin, marking a climactic tribute to his enduring impact. He passed away the following year and was laid to rest at the Stahnsdorf South-Western Cemetery near Berlin.

Zille's 'Milljöh'

Mein Milljöh, Neue Bilder aus dem Berliner Leben (My Milieu, New Illustrations from Berlin Life), Zille, 1913

At the turn of the 20th century, Zille increasingly focused on portraying scenes from the proletarian underclass, which he adopted as a central theme of his work. Zille found his "Milljöh" (milieu) in the courtyards of tenement buildings, narrow backstreets, and taverns in working-class neighbourhoods. As a lithographer, Zille faced a turning point in 1907 when he was dismissed from the Photographische Gesellschaft publisher and printing company in Berlin, likely because of his growing focus on socially critical themes that diverged from the company's direction. This dismissal deeply affected the fifty-year-old Zille, leaving him embittered, outraged, and profoundly distressed. However, his artist friends, including Paul Klimsch and Max Liebermann, viewed his dismissal with calm optimism, confident in Zille's artistic potential. Over time, Zille came to realise that this marked a pivotal transition in his life: a departure from decades of workshop routine towards a more direct engagement with life on the streets. He recalled the advice of his former professor: "Go out into the streets instead..."

Following his dismissal, Zille began working as an independent artist and developed the distinctive style for which he is renowned. His drawings, often accompanied by Berlin dialect texts, short stories, and witticisms, gained recognition for their originality. By this time, "Pinselheinrich" (Brush Heinrich), as he was affectionately called, had become a well-known figure in Berlin and was already enjoying some renown as a skilled portrait artist. However, his works, characterised by biting social criticism, were not always well-received during Germany's Wilhelmine era. Behind his sometimes caustic drawings lay tragedy and despair: "If I want to, I can spit blood into the snow..." boasts a consumptive girl to other children. One of Zille's exhibitions was angrily criticised by an offended officer, who remarked with indignation: "This man takes all the joy out of life!"

Photographer, Atelier August Heer, circa 1900

Between 1882 and 1906, Zille temporarily turned his attention to photography. The claim that he engaged in photographic work outside his workplace first appeared in 1967 in Friedrich Luft's book Mein Photo-Milljöh. 100x Alt-Berlin aufgenommen von Heinrich Zille selber (My Photo Milieu: 100 Pictures of Old Berlin Taken by Heinrich Zille Himself). In Zille's apartment on Sophie-Charlotten-Straße 88, a chest of drawers was discovered containing "418 glass negatives, several glass positives, and over 100 photographs, for which no negatives could be located." These images were known within Zille's family and some had already been published.

The photographs do not depict the refined imperial side of Berlin but instead focus on the everyday lives of Berliners in backyards or at funfairs. However, it remains uncertain whether Zille was the creator of these works. Doubts arise particularly from Zille's reluctance as a lithographer to use technical devices for creating images. Furthermore, no camera was found among his possessions after his death. Nonetheless, it is a fact that Zille worked as a lithographer for 30 years (until 1907) at the Photographischen Gesellschaft publisher and printer in Berlin, where he also operated within the photographic laboratory.

Study of a standing nude pose with cloth, photograph by Zille, Atelier Jakob August Heer, Berlin, circa 1900

Whether Zille himself took photographs remains a subject of debate. It has been suggested that he utilised the studios (ateliers) of August Gaul and Jakob August Heer to produce the nude study photographs attributed to him from 1900–1903. These images document scenes within the studios, including models and artists at work. Of note is the fact that during this period, the animal sculptor August Gaul is verifiably documented as a photographer, with Zille serving as his developer in the photographic laboratory. Zille is believed to have regarded the camera as a "photographic notepad" for his graphic studies, drawing inspiration from various sources, including postcard motifs and press photographs.

Legacy and honours

Heinrich Zille Park, located on Bergstraße in Berlin's Mitte borough, was named in his honour by the City of Berlin in 1948. The park formerly featured a statue of Zille created in the workshop of Paul Kentsch; however, the statue's whereabouts are currently unknown, and the park has since been transformed into a children's adventure playground. A Zille Memorial statue, designed by Heinrich Drake in 1964–65, is located in the Lapidary within Köllnischer Park, also in Berlin Mitte. Additionally, an elementary school in Berlin's Friedrichshain district bears his name.

In 2002, a museum dedicated to Zille's work was opened in Berlin's Nikolaiviertel, in Berlin Mitte. In 2007, a statue of him sculpted by Thorsten Stegmann was erected nearby.

Zille's artistic oeuvre also includes many erotic illustrations, some of which border on pornography while simultaneously portraying the lives of ordinary people. A selection of these works is displayed in the Beate Uhse Erotic Museum in Berlin.

In 1983, the East German director Werner W. Wallroth released a film titled Zille und Ick (Zille and Me, in Berlin dialect), based on a musical by Dieter Wardetzky and Peter Rabenalt. While not a traditional biopic, the film incorporates elements of Zille's life into its narrative.

A drawing by Zille appears on a 55 Euro-Cent German postage stamp, captioned "Heinrich Zille, 1858–1929".

The South African politician Helen Zille is not Zille's grandniece. In her autobiography published in 2016, she retracted earlier claims suggesting such a relationship. Berlin-based genealogist Martina Rohde had previously documented that Heinrich Zille's handwritten records included a mix-up involving individuals with the same name but differing places and dates of birth.

Gallery

• 
  Zille Memorial in Köllnischer Park, Berlin, by Heinrich Drake
• 
  Monument to Zille by Thorsten Stegmann in the Nikolaiviertel
• 
  "As the outdoor public swimming pool appeared" (1919), by Zille
• 
  "School", by Zille
• 
  "Beach life in Berlin" (1901), by Zille
• 
  Modellpause (Model break), by Zille, circa 1925 'With artists, you first have to learn to understand what they say. If they want someone nude, they say: "Akt" ([nude] act); if they paint the breasts, they say "Büste" (bust); and if they want the back, where it's nice, they say "Kiste" (box).'

Selected filmography

• Slums of Berlin (1925)
• The Ones Down There (1926)
• Big City Children (1929)
• Mother Krause's Journey to Happiness (1929)

Further reading

• "From Zola’sMilieu to Zille's Milljöh: Berlin and the Visual Practices of Naturalism." Excavatio XIII. September 2000. 149–166.

External links

• Available Works & Biography Galerie Ludorff, Düsseldorf, Germany
• Documents from the life of the Zille family
• Newspaper clippings about Heinrich Zille in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW