Bunch of Bozos

Berlin: Leon Hirsch Verlag, 1925. 210 by 140mm (8¼ by 5½ inches). Orig. pictorial wrappers; 47, [1] pp. In German. Cute inscription in old hand on title page: ​“Nehme Dir ein Beispiel an Weinert und werde ein tüchtiger Kommunist. Heil Moskow.” [“Take Weinert’s example and become a hard-working Communist. Heil Moscow.”] Collage on cover with images of a cross and swastika among Prussian military iconography. Good plus. General wear and foxing to wrappers with chipping to spine and cover starting to separate. Interior with toning and occasional light pencil marginalia. Erich Weinert (1890–1953) was a German Communist writer and founder of the Proletarian Revolutionary Authors Association. His poetry is thoroughly anti-imperialist, and he plays the role of political poet, agitator, and satirist. In this book Germany is portrayed as a political tragedy ruled by a bunch of bozos. Weinert pulls no punches as Hitler is lambasted by name in the book.

EXILE: As might be expected, the Nazis had no desire to keep a Communist satirist. Weinert fled to Switzerland in 1933. From there, exile took him to France (where he was briefly interned) and the Soviet Union. After Germany attacked the Soviet Union, Weinert dedicated himself to propaganda to encourage Wehrmacht soldiers to defect. After the war East Germany awarded him a national medal.

At the time of cataloguing, no other copies for sale. OCLC identifies five holdings in the United States.

Bibliography: Sternfeld and Tiedemann (extensive entry).