An Original Artwork of the London Blitz, 1939-1945, by WW2 Emigre German Artist Hellmuth Weissenborn, Famous Artist and Volunteer London Blitz Fireman

Original London blitz artworks by renown artists are most rare, especially by German born artists, and most collectible as subjective visual interpretations of the damage and destructions of the great buildings and streets of London. They are personal representations of living history by witnesses of Hitler’s attempt to destroy one of the greatest capital cities of the world, the very heart of the last remaining empire in 1939, that was determined to thwart his plans to create a new German era of conquest under his Third Reich.

It was London’s most perilous period of history since the Great Fire of 1666, and although the damage was catastrophic and incredibly extensive, the stubborn determination of Londoner’s, with the benefit of the Shakespearean like inspirational speeches of Winston Churchill, showed Herr Hitler that Londoners had other ideas, that didn’t entirely align with Hitler’s ambitions. Needless to say, both Reichsmarschall Goring’s Luftwaffe, and Adolf Hitler were somewhat disappointed with the eventual outcome.

It is probably in the medium of pastel, and charcoal. The German-born artist Hellmuth Weissenborn (1898-1982) spent the first half of his life in his native Leipzig and the second in London. He was forced to flee his homeland in early 1939 in the face of Nazi terror and found refuge in Britain. Unlike many of his fellow refugees, he never lost his sense of German heritage. German private served as machine gunner with German Army in France and Russia, 1916-1918; student and academic with Leipzig Academy, Leipzig, Germany, 1919-1937; refugee in Denmark and GB, 1937-1940; internee in Warff Mills Internment Camp, Bury and Hutchinson Internment Camp, Douglas, Isle of Man, GB, 1940; fireman served with Auxiliary Fire Service in London, GB, 1941 Weissenborn was among a number of German émigré artists who had a unique opportunity to contribute to the British art world through their creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation.

After his conscription into service in World War I he returned home with diaries and sketchbooks and enrolled at the world-famous Leipzig Academy of Graphic and Book Arts, studying art, typography, and printmaking. Artistic success came early, and soon he moved up into the staff, becoming one of the Academy's youngest professors. When the Nazis took power, he lost his post for marrying a Jewish woman and was forced to leave Germany.

Detailed on the foreground in ink, London Bomb Scene 1939-1945 WW2

He was also a noted book illustrator.

Size 9cm x 13cm frame size 26 cm x 32cm

one of the biography's of his life [see photo] From Leipzig to London, The Life and Work of the Emigre Artist, Hellmuth Weissenborn by Anna Nyburg.

Photo in the gallery of the artist at work in his studio in the interment camp in the Isle of Man
Photos for illustrative purposes only

Other examples of his works are in the Imperial War Museum

Monotype prints of some of his works are currently available from Childs Gallery in Boston MA. USA from $2,200 to $2,800 each

Code: 24062