Käthe Kollwitz

author · illustrator

German^[1,2] b. 8 July 1867, Königsberg, Prussia (modern day Kaliningrad, Russia)^[1,3] d. 22 April 1945, Moritzburg, Saxony, Germany^[1,2] active 1886–1945

Käthe Kollwitz (born Käthe Schmidt) was a prominent German graphic artist and sculptor known for her socially conscious works that depicted the struggles of the poor, oppressed, and victims of war. Born in Königsberg in 1867, she studied art in Berlin and Munich before establishing herself as a leading figure in German Expressionism. Her work is characterized by profound empathy and activism, often focusing on themes of motherhood, labor, and pacifism. She was a vocal advocate for social justice and was the first woman to be made a full member of the Prussian Academy of Art. Despite being persecuted by the National Socialists during the Third Reich, her international reputation grew, particularly in the United States. Her artistic legacy is defined by its powerful emotional impact and its role as an instrument of social protest.^[1,2,3]

• social injustice
• war
• poverty
• motherhood
• pacifism
• labor struggles