The First World War and the German Revolution of 1918–1919 in East German Comics

Abstract

The publication of comics from the 1950s onwards in East Germany started as a defensive reaction against Western comics. It did not take long for the mediumto be used as an instrument for socialist propaganda. This was especially the case with the historical-political comics in the magazine Atze. This article provides an overview of the representation of the First World War and the German Revolution of 1918–1919 in Atze. It shows that Atze’s stories closely followed the historical perspective prescribed by the communist party as well as the concept of the socialist picture story developed in the 1960s. These stories unfolded across series of individual images that generally avoided wordballoons and sound effects and were accompanied by detailed text. Using a realistic style, such stories tried to convey a strong sense of authenticity but they remained unable to develop complex characters or stories. However, in reflecting the changing political climate of their times, these comics provide a rich source of material for studying the portrayal of history in East Germany.