Chemin de Croix en 50 Stations: de Compiègne a Gusen II en Passant par Buchenwald, Mauthausen, Gusen I (Stations of the Cross, in 50 Stations: from Compiègne to Gusen II via Buchenwald, Mauthausen and Gusen I)
Fontenay-aux-Roses [Paris]: F. Brouty, J. Fayard et cie, 1946. First edition. Softcover. Quarto. 112, [2]pp. Illustrated tanned wrappers, with black and blue lettering on the front cover. This work is a powerful illustrated memoir by French artist Jean Bernard-Aldebert (aka Bernard-Aldebert, 1909-1974), about his time as a prisoner in five different Nazi concentration camps between 1944 and 1945.
After many years building a career as an illustrator, cartoonist and satirist, the artist's story took a tragic turn in November of 1943. After boldly and bravely creating a caricature of Hitler as a chimpanzee, in the August 1st issue of the French humor magazine Ric et Rac, Bernard-Aldebert was arrested by the Gestapo. Subsequently, in January of 1944 he was transferred to the Royallieu-Compiègne internment camp, and subsequently to Buchewald, then to Mauthausen, to the Gusen I camp, and finally to Gusen II, where he remained until liberation on May 5th, 1945. The author's text and images reveal the horrors to which prisoners were subjected in these camps, including brutal forced labor, starvation, sadistic torture, and violence. Although most known for a lighthearted and charming caricature style, the images here are anything but. While they bear some resemblance to artist's known style, these images are far more stark, grim and austere, being evocative of the emotional states of the figures depicted. Text throughout is accompanied on nearly every facing page, by a b/w reproduction after an original drawing by the artist, for a total of 50 images. They were drawn from a series of sketches created by Bernard-Aldebert, shortly after his liberation, which to this day offer invaluable visual and emotional insight to the what occurred in these camps.
Text throughout in French.
Wrappers sunned, with some waterstains, and some light rubbing to corners. A small piece of brown paper has been pasted at the head of the spine. Interior relatively clean, although there is a pervasive water stain and some rippling throughout the book block. Text and images throughout still quite vibrant. Wrappers and interior in good to good+ condition overall. Protected in modern mylar. g to g+. Item #54190
Price: $375.00