Antiques Trade Gazette


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German war artist emerges 65 years on


■ First drawings from an archive of man who hated Nazis and exposed the common plight


PAUL Nash and Wyndham Lewis were just two of Britain’s celebrated official war artists between 1939 and 1945, household names both.


Germany had up to 80 official war


artists, but there is one who has long remained in the shadows because of his apparent hatred of the Nazis. Now Roman Zenzinger’s family have


taken the tentative first step in opening up his archive of works, which range from the depiction of ordinary German soldiers to the destruction and despair of Berlin in the closing days of the Second World War. Coincidentally, it will be on April 19,


the day before Hitler’s birthday, that three drawings by Zenzinger go under the hammer at Ludlow, Shropshire auctioneers Mullock’s. Zenzinger, a fellow Austrian, was


retained by the German military’s Division of Visual Arts to record aspects of the war, and the family archive contains the catalogue from an exhibition by war artists during the conflict that lists five works by Zenzinger. “Zenzinger was not a Nazi, and he was


so appalled by what he witnessed during the Third Reich and the consequences of Hitler’s actions that he attempted to erase his existence from history,” explained Richard Westwood-Brookes, historical documents expert for Mullock’s. “He systematically went through


the files removing any reference to his activities, and then locked up his entire collection of sketches, drawings and finished oil paintings in a warehouse in Austria, forbidding any but close friends and family from seeing it. “He almost succeeded in his quest


Left: Roman Zenzinger’s depiction of a German soldier about to launch his grenade is one of three drawings of military life to be offered at Mullock’s 7on April 19.


Right: a serviceman fixing his motorbike is another on offer. Zenzinger’s work is only now coming to light after he deliberately locked it away following the Second World War. Each of the works is estimated at £3000.


for anonymity, but a few references remained, largely in printed catalogues for Nazi art exhibitions staged during the War.” When the war ended, Zenzinger


worked anonymously as a commercial artist in Vienna – his acquaintances were unaware of his wartime past. He left his entire collection to his family


who have continued to keep it concealed until now. “In the hope that his achievements


as a war artist will finally be recognised and the wartime record put straight, his surviving family have agreed to allow us to offer the first of what we hope will be many examples of his wartime art,” explained Mr Westwood-Brookes. “As I say, Zenzinger was no Nazi


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– in fact far from it. As a result, he concentrated on depicting the war from the perspective of the ordinary German


soldier – he even ensured that in his pictures the Nazi emblems and regalia were concealed as much as he possibly could. As a result, in stark contrast to the sort of art which is often associated with the Nazi regime – of an idealised Aryan super race who were conquering the world under Hitler’s evil doctrines – Zenzinger portrayed the ordinary soldiers going about their tasks under orders in much the same way as any soldier from Allied nations – and probably hating the War just as much.” Evidence of Zenzinger’s personal


animosity towards the Nazis emerged in the latter stages of the War, his art showing in stark reality what they had achieved – millions dead, destroyed cities and decimated population. “I have seen some of the images from


this later work and hopefully the family will feel able to release it on the market


at a later date, as Zenzinger’s pictures certainly stand as historical documents from a different perspective to those we are used to,” said Mr Westwood-Brookes. Mullock’s initial offering is three pencil


drawings by Zenzinger, each showing ordinary German soldiers in the midst of war. The first shows a soldier trying to fix his motor cycle side car in an alpine location, the second shows a soldier full length, with a stick grenade slung in his belt, while the third, pictured here, shows a grenade thrower about to launch his missile into the air. “This will provide a unique opportunity


to obtain work by a hitherto unknown artist whose importance will doubtless grow as more information emerges about him,” added Mr Westwood-Brookes. Each drawing is expected to make


£3000. Ivan Macquisten The Harrogate Antique & Fine Art Fair


28th April – 2nd May 2011 Hall M - bottom of Parliament Street Harrogate International Centre Enquiries to 01823 323363 www.harrogateantiquefair.com


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