Uncategorised War Artist Ernst Eigener

[Spasm]

Gents

A note before I start this thread. I've tried and tried to get this into an article and then as a blog, but I just cannot get the pictures to load into the text as anything other than a very small thumbnail that doesn't expand when clicked on. Not a lot of use if the article is about the artwork. So, extremely sorry guys, even when I followed the instructions (that worked previously when I tried them some months ago), I still couldn't make them work. I gave up as I was getting close to throwing the computer out of the window and shouting at the admin staff (her indoors).

So, as it's written, I admit not very well, you can read it here. But it's the pictures that are the interesting bit.

If you'd like to see more of Ernst's sketches, let me know and I'll scan some more.

Right, start.......but let me get to the end before you comment or you'll ruin the flow

[Spasm]

Hans Liska (1907-1983) is recognised worldwide for his WW2 sketchbooks. His first edition printed sketch books are expensive and coveted collector items.

Perhaps a lesser known artist from that period who also documented WW2 with his pencil was Ernst Eigener.

Eigener was a member of Propagandakompanie 637 formed in 1939 in Breslau (Wroclaw). PK 637 was attached to the 6th Army that fought it's way through Belgium, France and then turned its attention Eastwards with operation Barbarossa. Eigener battled along with the army deep into Russia and ultimately onto Stalingrad.

Two of Ernst Eigener's 'skizzenbuchs' (sketchbooks) were published during the war. The first in 1941 that contains work from the Westfeldzug called 'Mein Skizzenbuch' and the second in 1942 that includes his artwork from the Russian campaign 'Skizzen aus dem Ostfeldzug'.

[Spasm]

Both are part of the Die kleine W. J.-Reihe book series, can be easily found and are fairly inexpensive. The 1942 edition being slightly rarer and more costly. They are small (just under A5 size) but bursting with vitality and showing an artist with a fantastic skill to capture both action and mood. The books contain mostly black and white pencil sketches with a few watercolours. There are hardly any narrative comments other than a 'Vorwort' by Helmut Jahn in each book. Eigener lets the pictures speak for themselves.

1940/41 - "Mein Skizzenbuch"

Interestingly my copy of Eigener's first book still has an original loose printed slip inside which basically is a note explaining that although publishing costs are rising the prices for the books are kept low for the troops:

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My copy also has an owner's stamp on the first page - could this be the Luftwaffe Knights Cross winner?

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I've included a small selection of the pictures, there are many more. This book contains images of a strong German army on the advance, ruined enemy defences, bombarded towns and a general feeling of the advance and victory. There are a few also a few hints as to Eigener's feelings towards the local population and the surrounding countryside.

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Local language and population, the scenery of ruins and then the celebration and enjoyment of victory

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It was said that Eigener could be seen everywhere, in the trucks and tanks, next to the artillery, in the mud with the infantry and that he loved life and all living things.

The last double page sketch in the book is of a calm guard, watching, ready and waiting....

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1941/42 - "Skizzen aus dem Ostfeldzug"

Eigener's second book again starts with rapid advance as Barbarossa begins.

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Sketches of sunflowers in the fields and the hard slog through the vast hot landscapes

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A visit from General Field Marshall Walther von Reichenau, commander of the 6th Army. Note the details of his baton.

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For reference, a photo of Reichenau in a similar pose and his baton minus the shaft

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The sketches then seem to take a slight turn, a look inwards towards the hardships of the troops as the battles became hard fought and the going much slower. Defensive fox holes and slowed by the conditions.

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First aid stations and the wounded

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Then came the winter and Stalingrad.

It was here that Eigener was commissioned to carry out the design for the Stalingrad arm shield.

His submitted design included a silo amid the snowy ruins of the city beside the Volga. In the centre of the shield a dead soldier. Around the soldier's helmet a crown of barbed wire and across the design, in bold letters, the single word 'Stalingrad'. The design was turned down by headquarters. 'Too demoralising', said the comment in the margin of the drawing.

[Spasm]

Some sketches do have printed subtitles, probably added by the printers rather than the artist. Here the title reads "Enemy attacks!". A frosty glove on a mortar round is all that keeps the scene quiet.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Spasm

[Spasm]

Eigener's friends told how they hadn't seen him laugh. Eigener was interested in things that other men pass by without a glance or might ignore. Everything appealed to his artistic eye. He examined where most were merely bored. He watched gun fire and clouds, sun and mud, the clear nights, the Volga mist.

He thought of no man as his enemy, and so dearly did he love this land that he hoped one day to return to Russia and to live in a house in the hills beside the Don.

Some pages are quite beautiful but grim

Edited March 13, 2014 by Spasm

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20th November 1942 was a day filled with sunshine.

On that day Eigener fell in battle. He was thirty-seven years old.

Ernst Eigener fell where he had hoped one day to build himself a house, on the Don High Road, near Kalatch.

'The stars are eternal, but men behave as though they will be gone tomorrow.' Eigener wrote these words three hours before he was killed.

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These two small books are fairly easily obtained in their first edition print. They cost about the same as a WW1 EK2 for them both. The second book is a bit harder to find, has more pictures with the sketches of a better quality as Ernst became better at what he did.

I'd encourage anyone to go and find these two wonderful additions to their bookshelf

[hucks216]

Many thanks for showing some of the sketches. Please feel free to add some more. I particularly like the one of the heavy artillery piece with the sentry and the ones of von Reichenau.

The first one of the Grefreiter seems to have the soldier's name. Is that readable in the book?

Edited March 13, 2014 by hucks216

[Spasm]

Hucks

The books are actually smaller than the displayed pictures here. I really struggle with any handwritten German so I can't help much.

Would be nice if someone could help with deciphering some of the hand written notes. All my translations are through bing and that doesn't help that much in some cases especially when I can't read the handwriting.

Would be pretty easy to scan both the books and load them into the document archive (assuming I can figure out how it works) if people are interested.

As an aside, I also have the Hans Liska WW2 sketchbooks.

[hucks216]

Having tried a close-up of the Gefreiter image it might not say his name after all but has something in brackets after the rank. None the less, still a very good sketch.

I am sure a lot of people would like to view the books.

[Spasm]

I've done a few adjustments that make it slightly easier to read. My inability with the German handwriting doesn't help much though.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Spasm]

So, anyone have any ideas what the above says, or indeed any of the handwritten notes alongside the drawings?

[Jock Auld]

sorry can't make it out either, I have the same books and a couple of others in the series that show portriat pics of soldiers faces in battle. I also have some A4 art prints of a military nature with sketches and oils etc, I will have a hunt at the weekend and see if I can find them.

Jock

[Spasm]

Jock

It'd be nice to see them. Got quite a few as well, must get some stuff into the scanner