Der Sturm served as the primary platform for German avant-garde art after its founding in 1910. As the driving force behind this influential publication, Georg Lewin—known professionally as Herwarth Walden—cultivated movements including Expressionism, Futurism, Dadaism, and Magic realism. His career spanned composition, writing, and art criticism, marking him as a central figure in early twentieth-century aesthetic discourse.
Early Training and Artistic Multidisciplinarity
Born in 1878 in Berlin, he pursued formal education in piano and composition at music academies in Berlin and Florence. His professional scope widened rapidly, encompassing roles as a writer, critic, composer, and gallery owner. He emerged as a publisher and opinion journalist, navigating the shifting landscape of European art during the early 1900s.
The Evolution of Der Sturm
In 1910, he launched the magazine Der Sturm, later expanding the enterprise to include a publishing house and an art gallery in 1912. The platform prioritized what he termed 'Wort-Kunst' or Word-Art. Through these channels, he promoted emerging figures such as Oskar Kokoschka, Maria Uhden, and Georg Schrimpf, alongside poets like August Stramm and Otto Nebel. He also documented these shifts in essays such as Expressionismus: Die Kunstwende and Die neue Malerei.
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His trajectory intersected with significant political upheaval, beginning with his membership in the Communist Party in 1919. As the German Reich faced economic depression and the rise of Nazism, his professional activities became unsustainable. In 1932, he left Germany to escape the Gestapo. Relocating to Moscow, he continued working as a teacher and publisher, though he faced persistent pressure from the Soviet government to reconcile his promotion of the avant-garde with shifting political expectations.
Final Years
He died in a prison in Saratov in 1941, an outcome later confirmed by the International Tracing Service. His literary output included numerous novels, dramas, and essay collections written throughout his career, such as the 1916 novel Das Buch der Menschenliebe and the 1938 essay Vulgär-Expressionismus.
Fast facts
- Born: 1878, Berlin
- Died: 1941, Saratov
- Citizenship: German Reich
- Primary Field: Expressionism
- Notable Publication: Der Sturm (1910–1932)
- Religion: Judaism
Questions readers ask
What was the original name of Herwarth Walden?
He was born Georg Lewin.
Which artists did Walden promote?
He promoted artists including Oskar Kokoschka, Maria Uhden, and Georg Schrimpf, as well as poets August Stramm, Otto Nebel, and Franz Richard Behrens.
When did he flee Germany?
He left the country in 1932 following the rise of the Nazi party.
Achievements
- Notable work: Der Sturm
- Movement: Expressionism
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