Willy Jaeckel’s representations of soldiers as victims during the First World War in Germany

What is it about?

The visual culture of the First World War in Germany generally offered a morale-preserving, even jingoistic image of the war, promoting a narrow dialogue of both the modern front experience and the human ability to endure it. The singular representations of the soldier as a victim of war by free-thinking German artist Willy Jaeckel (1888– 1944) offered an alternative, empathetic portrayal of the soldier's suffering, courageous - and still relevant - in its contestation of the popular image of the front experience during the years 1914-18, which played down the shattering impact of the war on soldiers’ bodies and minds.

Featured Image