Unveiled for the first time: Previously unrevealed works by Erich Maria Remarque displayed at the Lower Saxony Day in Osnabrück
Exhibition Highlights Erich Maria Remarque's Pre-Fame Advertising Work
Erich Maria Remarque, the renowned author of the anti-war novel All Quiet on the Western Front, is set to be the centre of attention once again, this time for his work before he gained worldwide fame. A new exhibition, part of the celebrations for the 38th Lower Saxony Day in Osnabrück, will showcase a previously unknown aspect of Remarque's career – his time as an advertising copywriter.
The collection, which includes documents, photographs, and brochures, offers a unique perspective on Remarque's work with language in the context of advertising and industrial communication. The materials, acquired by the Erich Maria Remarque Peace Center with the support of the Sparkasse Osnabrück Foundation, include drafts for Conti balloon tires, small brochures for the "Sunday outing," and photographs with advertising slogans for various Continental products.
The documents provide insights into Remarque's collaboration with Wilhelm Lichtenfeld, who was responsible for the literary design of Continental's communication. Some of the drafts were likely created by Remarque while he was still employed at Continental in Hannover, between 1921 and 1924, when he served as an editor at Echo Continental, the works magazine of Continental Rubber Works.
The exhibition, which will be held at the Peace Center in Osnabrück from August 29 to August 31, also includes photographs taken by Remarque himself. Dr. Sven Jürgensen, director of the Remarque Peace Center, stated that the originals from Lichtenfeld's estate provide a valuable insight into Remarque's early career as an advertising copywriter.
Admission to the exhibition is free, making it accessible to all who wish to delve into this fascinating aspect of Remarque's life and work. The Erich Maria Remarque Society acquired the unpublished documents, and they will be exhibited for the first time in 2025 at the Erich Maria Remarque Peace Center in Osnabrück. This exhibition sheds light on Remarque's work before he gained worldwide fame, providing a new perspective on his career and his contributions to literature and advertising.
