Jan Tschichold

Jan Tschichold – born 2.4.1902 in Leipzig, Germany, died 11.8.1974 in Locarno, Switzerland – typographer, calligrapher, author, teacher.

1919–21: studies at the Akademie für Graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe in Leipzig. 1921–23: is one of Walter Tiemann’s master pupils and assistant to Hermann Delitsch.

1925: publication of Tschichold’s special issue of "Typographische Mitteilungen" magazine, entitled "elementare typographie". 1926–33: teaches typography and callygraphy at the Meisterschule für Deutschlands Buchdrucker in Munich. 1933: dismissed from teaching by the National Socialists. Emigrates to Basle, Switzerland.

1933–40: works for Benno Schwabe publishers and teaches at the Allgemeine Gewerbeschule in Basle. 1941–46: typographer for the Birkhäuser publishing house in Basle. 1946–49: redesigns the typography for Penguin Books in London. 1949: honorary member of the Double Crown Club. 1954: is awarded a gold medal by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) in New York. 1955–67: typographer for Hoffmann-La Roche in Basle. 1964 and 1971: is awarded a gold medal at the "International Book Art" ehibition in Leipzig. 1965: awarded a Gutenberg Prize by the city of Leipzig. Corresponding member of the Deutsche Akademie der Künste in Berlin.

Fonts: Transit (1931), Saskia (1931), Zeus (1931), Sabon™ (1967).

Publications include: "Die neue Typographie", Berlin 1928; "Typographische Gestaltung", Basle 1935; "Geschichte der Schrift in Bildern", Basle 1941; Schriftkunde, Schreibübungen und Skizzieren«, Basle 1942, Berlin 1952; "Schatzkammern der Schreibkunst", Basle 1946; "Meisterbuch der Schrift", Ravensburg 1953; "Erfreuliche Drucksachen durch gute Typographie", Ravensburg 1960, "Willkürfreie Maßverhältnisse der Buchseite und des Satzspiegels", Basle 1962; "Ausgewählte Aufsätze über Fragen der Gestalt des Buches und der Typography", Basle 1975; "Jan Tscichold, Leben und Werk", Dresden 1977; "Jan Tschichold. Schriften 1925–1974", Berlin 1991.

* TYPOGRAPHY – An Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques Throughout History by Friedrich Friedl, Nicolaus Ott (Editor), Bernard Stein, published by Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH.