Heinrich Zille

Heinrich Zille
Self-portrait 1922
Born	Heinrich Rudolf 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

Heinrich Rudolf Zille (10 January 1858 – 9 August 1929) was a German illustrator, caricaturist, lithographer, and photographer. Celebrated as a keen observer of urban life, Zille became best known for his empathetic yet satirical depictions of Berlin's working-class environments during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nicknamed 'Pinselheinrich' ('Brush Heinrich'), he combined humour, social critique, and artistic skill to shed light on the struggles and humanity of the city's lower classes. His works, which often incorporated the Berlin dialect and sharp wit, captured the essence of an evolving metropolis, leaving a lasting impact on both visual art and social commentary.

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 These claims have been conclusively disproved through historical documents.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.

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).

Photography

Study of a standing nude pose with drapery, photograph by Zille, Atelier Jakob August Heer, Berlin, 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.

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.

Secession and success as an artist

Berliner Rangen (Berlin Urchins), Zille, 1908

Portrait of Heinrich Zille by Hugo Erfurth, 1922

Around the turn of the century, Zille began exhibiting his first drawings and publishing them in magazines such as Simplicissimus, Jugend – Münchener Illustrierte Wochenschrift für Kunst & Leben, and Die Lustigen Blätter. Before long, 'the newcomer' gained attention in Berlin's artistic circles. Art critic Hans Rosenhagen praised Zille as 'a new phenomenon who stands out pleasantly with a series of realistically effective and humorous coloured drawings "from dark Berlin" and a most striking "Spring miracle".' During this period, Zille posed as a model for his friend, the sculptor August Kraus, for the bust of Knight Wedigo von Plotho, which was unveiled in 1900 as part of a monument on Siegesallee.

In 1903, Zille became a member of the newly founded Berlin Secession, an artists' group formed by Max Liebermann, Walter Leistikow, and Franz Skarbina in opposition to the prevailing academic art establishment. He also became an early member of the German Artists' Association (Deutscher Künstlerbund), founded in the same year, with his name first appearing in the membership directory of the association's third annual exhibition in 1906 at the Grand Ducal Museum in Weimar. Zille formed a close friendship with Liebermann, who became both his mentor and advocate.

That same year, Zille began contributing to the Munich satirical magazine Simplicissimus, edited by Thomas Theodor Heine and Albert Langen, where he befriended the Norwegian illustrator Olaf Gulbransson. This was followed by contributions to Jugend (1905) and Lustige Blätter. The latter's publisher, Dr. Eysler & Co. Berlin, published Zille's first popular milieu drawings, Kinder der Straße ('Children of the Street') and Berliner Rangen ('Berlin Urchins'), in 1908 as part of the Künstlerhefte (artists' volumes) series, marking the start of Zille's commercially successful publications.

With collections such as Mutter Erde ('Mother Earth', 1905) and Zwölf Künstlerdrucke ('Twelve Artists' Prints', 1909), featuring heliogravures of his drawings and etchings, Zille gained national recognition as one of Germany's leading illustrators. In 1914, he released his second illustrated volume, Mein Milljöh ('My Milieu'). His success as a freelance artist proved timely following his dismissal from the Photographischen Gesellschaft publishing and printing company.

Galleries sought after the 'professor with the nickel glasses', and Zille occasionally sold works to private collectors and created murals for various venues and beer halls. Despite his growing reputation, it was not until 1921 that the Berlin National Gallery acquired a substantial collection of his drawings.

In 1910, Zille, along with Fritz Koch-Gotha, received the Menzel Prize from the Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung in recognition of his artistic achievements. In 1913, around 40 artists, including Zille, left the Berlin Secession to form the Free Secession, with Zille serving as a board member and Max Liebermann as honorary president. On Liebermann's recommendation, Zille was appointed a professor in 1924 and admitted to the Prussian Academy of Arts. Despite his acclaim, Zille remained relatively indifferent to the honours he received. This attitude persisted even during the hardships of the First World War, when his first picture books were published to great success, and in later years, Zille retained his modesty.

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 magazine 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.

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 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 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!"

Later years and death

Zille's apartment house at Sophie-Charlotten-Straße 88, photographed in 1892

Relief by August Kraus on Zille's gravestone

After the First World War, Zille increasingly suffered from gout and diabetes. On 9 June 1919, his wife Hulda passed away at the age of 54. Tragically, his son Hans and his cherished daughter-in-law Anna also died young. Anna, the wife of his son Walter, passed away just months after Zille himself, in December 1929, due to a pulmonary embolism, while Hans died in 1934.

Following his wife's death, Zille resolved to remain in his apartment at Sophie-Charlotten-Straße 88 for the rest of his life, stating: 'My walls shall be my home until I die.' The apartment building was later designated as a historic monument. Of his three children, Grete, Hans, and Walter, only one granddaughter, Anneliese Preetz-Zille, the daughter of Hans, survived him. Walter kept the apartment for some time to honour his father's memory but was forced to dissolve the household in the post-war years due to financial difficulties.

In his later years, Zille published drawings in the Berlin satirical magazine Ulk. He reached the height of his popularity in 1928, a year before his death, during the celebrations for his 70th birthday, which included a retrospective of his works at the Märkisches Museum under the title 'Zilles Werdegang' ('Zille's Development').

In February 1929, Zille suffered his first stroke, followed by a second in May. These health setbacks led him to withdraw from public life. He left a notice on his apartment door in trembling handwriting, which read: 'I am ill. Please, no visitors.'

Zille passed away on the morning of 9 August 1929. He was laid to rest in an honorary grave of the city of Berlin at the Stahnsdorf South-Western Cemetery, in the Epiphanien burial block (Field 14, Garden Plot 34/35). Approximately 2,000 mourners attended his funeral. Today, a sign and a stone at the cemetery mark the path 'to Zille.'

Public reception

Zille is recognised as one of the most renowned Berliners of the first half of the 20th century. Alongside Claire Waldoff, a close friend, he is celebrated as one of Berlin's iconic figures, embodying the cultural and social spirit of the city. He has been honoured in various ways across the German capital, reflecting his lasting impact. Zille's drawings resonated with a diverse audience, appealing both to the educated bourgeoisie and to the 'ordinary people,' who served as a significant and appreciative subject of his work.

Reflections on Zille

Käthe Kollwitz (Date unknown), drawing by Zille

... there is yet a third Zille, and this one is my favourite. He is neither a humorist for comic magazines nor a satirist. He is purely an artist. A few lines, a few strokes, a touch of colour now and then – and they are masterpieces.

— Käthe Kollwitz

Zille achieved significant popularity and broad appeal through humorous and satirical publications. His witty, often sarcastic, yet always incisive captions became widely recognised and enjoyed. However, behind the persona of 'Pinselheinrich' (Brush Heinrich) was a more introspective Zille, appreciated only by his closest friends. Beyond the public laughter and amusement, Zille carefully protected his private life from scrutiny. It was within this private sphere that he created lesser-known works, including drawings and etchings that were never included in his published collections. These included depictions of stationary street vendors weighed down by society's injustices, elderly women burdened by poverty as well as their physical loads, and strikingly robust nude studies of working-class women from the turn of the century. Additionally, Zille's secret archive contained early landscapes, portraits, and numerous sketches of infants and young children whose faces often bore a prematurely aged appearance. His private works also included empathetic portraits of close friends such as Ernst Barlach, August Gaul, Lyonel Feininger, Käthe Kollwitz, Max Liebermann, Otto Nagel, and August Kraus. These portraits, though reflective of Zille's caricature style, also conveyed the essence and character of his subjects.

Zille maintained a long-standing friendship with Käthe Kollwitz. Both lived and worked in Berlin, frequently meeting at the academy. While their artistic approaches differed, they explored similar themes and subjects, underscoring their shared sensibilities.

In 2014, it came to light that influential journalist Erich Knauf had written an unpublished Zille biography in the early 1930s. Titled Der unbekannte Zille ('The Unknown Zille'), the manuscript offered a critical and holistic perspective on the artist's life and work. Knauf was particularly critical of Zille's self-promotion in his later years, as well as his use of colour and composition in overly narrative pieces. He wrote: 'The public loves kitsch; it is conditioned to do so. "Vater Zille" [Father Zille] – that is kitsch on a monumental scale. This gave the entire Zille phenomenon a direction that turned the lifestyle of this illustrator and his milieu into a sentimental popular tune. Even in instances, such as the Zille films, where more sincere motives were at play, the result was a distorted image. Zille endorsed it all. It brought him money and honours.'

Wit and Dialect: The Berlin Style

"Mutta, jib doch die zwee Blumtöppe raus, Lieschen sitzt so jerne ins Jrüne!" ("Mother, just put out the two flower pots—Lieschen loves sitting in the greenery!")

The breadth of Zille's social milieu depictions, humorous sketches, and anecdotes exemplifies a unique integration of image and, in most cases, handwritten captions. These captions, often delivered in the sharp and distinctive Berlin dialect, were not confined to a specific setting or location. The studies appear deceptively casual and spontaneous, combining rough-hewn dialogues with vivid illustrations. The captions serve as insightful commentaries, frequently imbued with irony and, at times, a macabre sarcasm, offering Zille's penetrating observations of the backyards and bureaucratic offices of Wilhelmine Berlin at the turn of the century. Some of his witticisms amplify the gallows humour of his caricatures, while others soften the bleakness of despair through fatalistic, almost compassionate wit. For instance: 'Don't get drunk and bring the coffin back—the Müller's lodger will need it tomorrow too.' (Originally written in Berlin dialect: Besauft eich nich und bringt det Sarj wieder, de Müllern ihre Möblierte braucht'n morjen ooch.). This caption accompanies the etching 'Zur Mutter Erde' ('To Mother Earth'), a street scene depicting the proletarian 'underclass' of Berlin, part of Zille's 1905 series Das Dunkle Berlin (The Dark Berlin).

Depicted is a 'lonely funeral procession,' where a child's coffin is being pushed on a baby stroller by a man, presumably the father of the deceased child, through the street in the midst of the 'Milljöh' (working-class milieu). Although many people's gazes rest on this funeral procession, it does not seem significant enough for more individuals to join it. This indifference may point to the still high mortality rate in Germany at the time—especially among children. As a result, people likely encountered such scenes with a sense of desensitisation and apathy. At least, this is the impression conveyed by the depiction. While even in higher social classes, early deaths were not uncommon at the time, the risk of life-threatening illnesses and premature death was disproportionately higher in the lower social strata due to precarious living and housing conditions.

This is further emphasised by the comment beneath the street scene. The initially quoted sentence is likely the exclamation of an unidentified person, urging the utmost haste in removing the child's corpse, as the coffin ('Sarj') will be needed again the following day. Conclusion: Time and money are so scarce that a dignified burial of one's own child seems almost impossible—not even a coffin of their own is affordable. The macabre and sarcastic elements evoke a profound sense of hopeless desolation, while simultaneously amplifying the emotional and satirical impact of Zille's work.

During his lifetime, Zille earned a variety of affectionate nicknames from the Berlin populace, including 'Vater Zille' (Father Zille), 'Pinselheinrich' (Brush Heinrich), 'Daumer von der Panke' (Daumier of the Panke), or 'Raffael der Hinterhöfe' (Raphael of the Backyards). Another epithet, 'Herrn Professorchen mit der Nickelbrille' (Mr. Little Professor with the Nickel Glasses), reflected both his academic recognition and his modest persona. However, upon his appointment as a professor, the weekly Fridericus, edited by Friedrich Carl Holtz, criticised the accolade in disparaging terms, adding the derisive nickname: 'The Berlin lavatory illustrator Heinrich Zille has been elected a member of the Academy of Arts and confirmed in this capacity by Minister of Culture Otto Boelitz (German People's Party, author's note). Shroud yourself, O Muse!'

This encapsulates the dichotomy of Zille's reception—revered as a chronicler of Berlin's societal quirks yet criticised by some for the perceived coarseness of his subjects and humour.

Zille and his depiction of children

Kinder der Straße (Children of the Street), Zille's first illustrated volume was published in 1908.

Affectionately referred to as "Vater Zille" (Father Zille), Zille demonstrated profound empathy for Berlin's street children, often called "street urchins." He became a figurative godfather to countless local youngsters. His illustrations, characterised by unvarnished vitality and authenticity, depicted children as they were—unwashed, ragged, and dirty, often with runny or bloodied noses. These works frequently showed children pressing their faces longingly against the windows of affluent shops, only to be shooed away. As one Berlin mother famously remarked, "For Zille, they can never be dirty enough."

While some have criticised his portrayals of poorly-dressed and naked children as suggestive of an obsessive fascination with youthful nudity, such critiques overlook Zille's commitment to social commentary and authenticity. Rooted in the unembellished realities of poverty, his work depicted children who, owning few clothes, often spent their early years either unclothed or semi-clothed.

In such conditions and during this era, it was common for children to naturally disrobe, wear very little, or go without undergarments, spending much of their early years playing unclothed. This practice was not only a result of financial hardship but also influenced by the need to preserve clothing, as laundering garments was labour-intensive and clothes were expensive—not only to replace but to buy in the first place. This behaviour, while arising from these necessities, also reflected the innocence and carefree disposition of childhood, fostering a natural familiarity with their own and their peers' bodies. Zille documented these realities without romanticism or sensationalism, reflecting their lived experience rather than any romanticised narrative, and shedding light on the social conditions of the time.

The children in Zille's drawings are often shown bickering, play-fighting, or cheekily retorting to adults in the distinctive Berlin dialect. His works also incorporate philosophical observations from a child's perspective, such as in one drawing of a Berlin Christmas market, where a child comments: "Only two jumping jacks sold today. Humanity has no love left for the harmless!"

Zille's work was often praised for being "devoid of any romanticism of poverty." He understood the grim realities awaiting these children as they grew: "Twenty-three pfennigs was what a domestic worker earned, and the children were sent to work in matchstick factories, where phosphorus and sulphur left them without fingernails. And how can one not step in when witnessing how misery perpetuates itself from generation to generation—when a child is born into slavery?"

This portrayal cemented Zille's reputation as an artist who not only documented the struggles of Berlin's urban poor but also criticised the systemic injustices of his time.

Controversial and risqué themes in Zille's work

Modellpause (Model Break), by Zille, circa 1925: "With artists, you must first learn to understand their language. 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)."

A year before the outbreak of the First World War, Zille had already published his illustrated volume "Mein Milljöh" (My Milieu) and the series "Berliner Luft" (Berlin Air). These works showcased his unvarnished depictions of Berlin's working-class life.

Around 1916, Zille privately illustrated a Balzac edition of Les Cent Contes drolatiques (The Hundred Facetious Tales) with 40 boldly detailed watercolours. These risqué artistic pieces earned him a fine of 150 marks. The illustrations remained lost for decades until they were rediscovered in 1984 at an antiquarian bookshop in Heidelberg and were first published in 2005 in a book without a publisher's imprint.

In 1921, Zille published a novel cycle titled Hurengespräche ('Conversations Among Prostitutes') under the pseudonym W. Pfeifer, with the false publication date of 1913. His candid depictions of eight prostitutes and themes of pornography provoked widespread disapproval from moral guardians and censors. His Zwanglose Geschichten und Bilder ('Casual Stories and Pictures'), published in 1919 by Fritz Gurlitt in Berlin as a small, numbered edition, were temporarily confiscated due to their controversial content.

In 1925, Zille faced legal action in Stuttgart for publishing his lithograph Modellpause ('Model Break') in the satirical magazine Simplicissimus, which depicted eight unclothed girls. Despite character references from his artist friends, he was fined 150 Reichsmarks and ordered to destroy all printing plates. The author Lothar Fischer (Kunsthistoriker), in a monograph on Zille, argued that the subject of pornography was a personal concern for the artist. Fischer stated that Hurengespräche was "not a by-product of Zille's work, created out of financial necessity, but rather a genuine concern of his."

Zille's work, while controversial, remains a significant reflection of the social and cultural tensions of his time.

The unpolitically political Zille

Zille's life and work justify describing him as a socially critical individual. At first glance, his drawings appeared to be mere anecdotes and humorous sketches; however, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that they held a mirror to society, critiquing both the Wilhelmine era and the subsequent Weimar Republic. Zille, who himself came from a poor working-class family and experienced hunger and hardship as a child, remained grounded even as a successful and financially secure artist. His focus consistently rested on the concerns and conditions of the lower classes. Throughout his life, Zille was socially engaged and advocated for the rights of ordinary people. He observed the rise of the National Socialists (Nazi Party) with suspicion.

The extent to which Zille can be considered a political figure remains debatable. He often distanced himself from party politics, frequently stating, 'I do not wish to belong to politics.' However, it is clear that his private circle included like-minded individuals, such as his artist friend Otto Nagel, who was an early member of the workers' movement, or Käthe Kollwitz, who, while remaining party-independent throughout her life, identified as a socialist. Unlike many of his friends, who were later stigmatised as representatives of so-called 'degenerate art,' Zille did not live to witness the rise of the National Socialist era (Nazi Germany), thereby evading repressive measures, including bans on work, exhibitions, and residency.

National Socialism

Zille was far too popular to be branded as a 'subversive' or 'enemy of the people.' After Zille's death, the writer and Zille biographer Hans Ostwald, in collaboration with Zille's son Hans, published two new volumes of Zille's work: 'Zille's Vermächtnis' ('Zille's Legacy', 1930) and 'Zille's Hausschatz' ('Zille's Treasury', 1931). In these, Ostwald added new captions to the artist's posthumous illustrations, aligning them with National Socialist ideology (Nazism), though these likely did not reflect the artist's original intentions. This was even more evident in the 1937 reissue of 'Zille's Hausschatz', edited by Ostwald with the assistance of SA-Standartenführer and journalist Otto Paust, who authored ideological novels such as 'Volk im Feuer' ('People in Flames'). This edition, which was not authorised by Zille's descendants, further deviated from the artist's authentic vision.

Reception after 1945

A commemorative plaque at the house on Sophie-Charlotten-Straße 88 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, marking Heinrich Zille's former residence.

In the post-World War II period, the Cultural Association (Kulturbund), founded in 1945 and later associated with the German Democratic Republic (GDR), referenced Zille's connection to the workers' movement. They elevated the nearly forgotten Zille and his artistic peers into symbols of the 'people's artists.' At Zille's former residence on Sophie-Charlotten-Straße in Charlottenburg, a bronze commemorative plaque has honoured the artist since 1949. This plaque is believed to date back to 1931. The inscription reads: 'In this house lived, from 1 September 1892 until his death, the master of the drawing pen, the chronicler of Berlin's everyday life, Heinrich Zille, born 10 January 1858 in Radeburg, died 9 August 1929 in Berlin – In his memory – The City of Berlin – 1931.' An additional note on the plaque states: 'The Zille commemorative plaque was marked for scrapping after 1933 – saved by workers' hands – renewed in 1949.'

Films

The name Zille has often been used for films about the 'poor people's Berlin' of the turn of the century. However, only a few of these productions directly relate to his life:

• Die Verrufenen (The Outcasts) by Gerhard Lamprecht, released in 1925, was made during Zille's lifetime with his approval and contributed to the commercialisation of his name.

• In the year of Zille's death, 1929, Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück (Mother Krause's Journey to Happiness), directed by Piel Jutzi, was created in his memory. Based on stories by Zille, the screenplay was written by Willy Döll and Jan Fethke. The film was produced under the patronage of Käthe Kollwitz, who ensured its authenticity and created her largest poster for it.

• Großstadtkinder — Zwischen Spree und Panke (Big City Children), is a German silent film created shortly after Zille's death (August 1929), entirely focused on the 'milieu' depicted by the renowned artist. It was directed by Arthur Haase.

• The 1983 DEFA musical Zille und ick (Zille and Me), directed by Werner W. Wallroth, was loosely inspired by Zille's milieu but has little connection to his biography.

• Heinrich Zille, a television film commissioned by ZDF in 1977 and directed by Rainer Wolffhardt, with Martin Held as Zille and Stefan Wigger as Liebermann, portrays Zille's life through selected episodes. Martin Held's compelling performance helped make the film a lens into Zille's milieu and the society of his time. Held had encountered Zille during his childhood in Berlin.

• The 1979 film Pinselheinrich (Brush-Heinrich), directed by Hans Knötzsch, depicts Zille's life.

• The 1986 DEFA documentary In Zilles Scheunenviertel erlebt (Experienced in Zille's Barn Quarter) follows a school class tracing Zille's milieu.

Awards and honours

Unveiling of the first Zille monument in the garden of the 'Theaters der Elite-Sänger' ('Theatre of the Elite Singers') in Berlin, 1930

Motor vessel and museum ship 'Heinrich Zille,' originally built in 1896 as a steamship, is the oldest operational passenger ship in Berlin and is located at the Historical Port.

On 4 February 1970, Zille was posthumously named Berlin's 80th Honorary Citizen by the Berlin Magistrate as a 'visual chronicler of the milieu.' Additionally, he is commemorated at the following locations:

Museums

• Zille-Museum (since 2002), Propststraße 11 (in the Nikolaiviertel), Berlin-Mitte.
• Heimatmuseum Radeburg (Local History Museum) with the Heinrich-Zille-Kabinett (since 1954), Heinrich-Zille-Straße 9, Radeburg.

Monuments

• Heinrich-Zille-Denkmal, Köllnischer Park (near the Märkisches Museum), Berlin-Mitte.
• Poststraße (in the Nikolaiviertel), Berlin-Mitte.
• Volkspark Prenzlauer Berg (part of a relief), Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg.

Honourable grave

• Stahnsdorf South-Western Cemetery (Evangelical), Bahnhofstraße, Stahnsdorf.

Commemorative plaques

• Propststraße 3, Berlin-Mitte.
• Zille's residence, Geusenstraße 16, Berlin-Rummelsburg.
• Zille's residence, Sophie-Charlotten-Straße 88, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.
• Memorial stone at Zille's parents' former house, Fischerstraße 8, Berlin-Rummelsburg.
• Zille's birthplace, Markt 11, Radeburg.
• Memorial stone, Zille-Hain, Radeburg.
• Relief by Prof. August Kraus, Zille's residence, Heinrich-Zille-Straße 1, Radeburg.
• Relief at the former residence site, Dresdner Straße 107, Freital.

Parks

• Heinrich-Zille-Park, Berlin-Mitte. 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.
• Zille-Hain, Radeburg.

Schools (selection)

• Zille-Grundschule, Berlin-Friedrichshain (primary school)
• Heinrich-Zille-Schule, Radeburg (secondary school)
• Heinrich-Zille-Schule, Berlin-Kreuzberg (primary school)
• Grundschule Heinrich Zille, Stahnsdorf (primary school)

Astronomy

• In the year 2000, an asteroid was named after Zille: (15724) Zille.

Transport

• In 1958, a historical ship built in 1896 was named Heinrich Zille and is now anchored at the Historical Port Berlin (Historischer Hafen Berlin). It is one of the oldest surviving passenger ships in Berlin and, among them, the oldest that is still operational.

• 
  Postage stamp of the German Federal Post Office Berlin, 1958, from the series 'Men from the History of Berlin'
• 
  Commemorative postage stamp of the German Federal Post Office Berlin (1969)
• 
  Erich Büttner: Heinrich Zille, 1923

Heinrich-Zille caricature prize

The 'Heinrich-Zille-Karikaturenpreis' ('Heinrich-Zille Caricature Prize') is a national competition in Germany. Established in 2018, it has been hosted annually during the autumn by the city of Radeburg in collaboration with the 'Dresdner Galerie Komische Meister' ('Dresden Gallery of Comic Masters'). Each year, the competition features a new theme, with a jury selecting the winning caricature from the submissions. The main award, valued at 1,000 Euro, is funded by different sponsors. The prize-giving ceremony takes place publicly in January on the Sunday following Heinrich Zille's birthday.

The ceremony also inaugurates a special exhibition at the Radeburg Local History Museum, which displays the best works submitted for that year's competition. During the exhibition, a 500 Euro Heinrich-Zille Audience Prize is awarded based on public voting. Additionally, the overall winner is given the opportunity to showcase their work in a dedicated solo exhibition later in the year.

Zille collection

The Art Museum of the City of Mülheim an der Ruhr houses the largest Zille collection outside of Berlin. The 'Themel Collection', comprising over 300 exhibits, was assembled by Karl G. Themel. Formerly the attending physician to Zille's son Walter, Themel later served for many years as chief physician and radiologist at the Evangelical Hospital in Mülheim an der Ruhr. In 1979, Themel founded the Art Museum's support association and transferred his collection to the museum.

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

Selected filmography

• Die da unten (The Ones Down There) (1926), Directed by Victor Janson and written by Heinrich Zille

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