Oak Knoll

Condition: Generally very good to excellent, with expected age and fold toning, creases, edge chipping and minor losses, several skillfully repaired tears, occasionally touching the text with no loss of print.

Illustrations: 44 of these broadsides include wood-engraved illustrations.

A checklist of titles, including condition notes: available upon request.

Inventory: Bibliographical descriptions for each object, including German and English abstracts for most broadsides, has been completed and will be included with the collection. (See examples below.)

Photos of select examples available upon request.

Additional information:

Typical of this form of communication, these broadsides were letterpress-printed on thin inexpensive papers. Despite the effort and skill that went into producing them, the printed sheets were in the moment, ephemeral, and not meant to survive. Thus, surviving examples are extremely rare.

Apart from their obvious historical interest, these broadsides uniquely reflect the typography of a time-just a few months in 1848-49-and a place-Berlin. Particularly noteworthy is the use of the German black-letter known as fraktur, a style of types associated with the German language and printing, at the moment when the modern German state was forming.

Broadsides printed in Berlin during the German Revolution of 1848 were influential in shaping how the literate population perceived current events. Printers rose to the occasion with inspired typography and illustrations, satire and caricature.

This also happens to be the historical moment when Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were engaging in events to connect their theories with practice.

Abstracts ("Information") derived from various online German state library catalogues and other sources. All other description details directly from the objects. Five examples of broadside descriptions includes:

1. Ach Jotte doch! Nu is et leider doch losjejangen! Un recht sehreken : eene recht traurige Betrachtung von Ullo Bohmhammel, Vize-Jefreiten bei de Börgerwehr
13.375 x 19.625 inches (34.0 x 49.9 cm).
(wer): Drucker: J. Draeger; Verleger: Louis Hirschfeld.
(wo): Berlin, Deutschland.
(wann): Undatiert.
Mit einer Illustration.
Information: Satirische Betrachtung Albert Hopfs auf die Auseinandersetzung zwischen Arbeitern und Bürgerwehr am 16. Oktober 1848. (Albert Hopf's satirical view of the dispute between workers and vigilante groups on October 16, 1848.)

44. Fief la Repoplik!
8.75 x 15.5 inches (22.2 x 39.4 cm).
(wer): Drucker: F. Nietack; Verleger: "Zu haben bei Jaehns, Unter den Linden No. 30.".
(wo): Berlin, Deutschland [historisch: Preußen, Königreich].
(wann): Undatiert.
Mit einer Illustration.
Information: Satirisches Gedicht auf die Republik. Mit einer Vignette, die einen Faulenzer darstellt. (Satirical poem to the republic. With a wood-engraved vignette representing a lazy citizen.)

54. Hercules am Scheidewege. Ob preuß'sch? Ob deutsch?
13.375 x 19.5 inches (34.0 x 49.5 cm).
(wer): Drucker: Brandes & Schulz; Verleger: S. Loewenherz
(wo): Berlin, Deutschland
(wann): Undatiert. (1848-06-30)
Mit einer Illustration.
Information: Das satirische Gespräch endet mit der Feststellung: "Fort mit der Reaktion. Es lebe das einige Deutschland." (The satirical conversation ends with the statement: "Let go of the reaction. Long live that one Germany.")

60. Hurrah, nach dem Friedrichs-Hain!
13.0 x 20.0 inches (33.0 x 50.8 cm).
(wer): Drucker: C. Litfaß; Verleger: S. Löwenherz.
(wo): Berlin, Deutschland [historisch: Preußen, Königreich].
(wann): Undatiert. (1848-06-04)
Information: Der Verfasser stellt die Frage: "Haben wir eine Revolution gehabt?" Er appelliert an alle Zweifler, diese und andere Fragen nicht erst in den Seelen der Bürger heraufzubeschwören. Er schließt mit dem Versprechen, alle Schläfer aus ihren Träumen aufzurütteln, indem er ihnen den Wahlspruch "Hurrah, nach dem Friedrichshain" um die Ohren donnert. (The author asks: "Have we had a revolution?" He appeals to all doubters not to raise these and other questions in the souls of the citizens. He concludes with the promise to stir up all sleepers from their dreams, thundering their voices "Hurray, after Friedrichshain".)

71. Die Landwehr in Berlin unter Waffen.
13.25 x 19.5 inches (33.7 x 49.5 cm).
(wer): Drucker: Brandes & Schultze; Verleger: S. Löwenherz.
(wo): Berlin, Deutschland [historisch: Preußen, Königreich].
(wann): Undatiert. (1848-06-02)
Information: Anonymes Flugblatt, das sich gegen den Einsatz der Landwehr in Berlin auf Befehl des Kriegsministers richtet. Der Verfasser sieht dadurch das Recht des Volkes und das konstitutionelle Prinzip verletzt. (Anonymous leaflet, which is directed against the use of the Landwehr in Berlin by order of the War Minister, which the author believes violates the rights of the people and the constitutional principle.).