Josef Čapek. Der Sohn des Bösen 1918

ČAPEK, Josef. Der Sohn des Bösen [The Son of Evil]. First German Edition with Original Expressionist Illustrations.

Berlin-Wilmersdorf: Verlag Die Aktion (Bücherei Der Rote Hahn, Doppelband 24/25), 1918.

8vo. 61,[1] pp. Original printed publisher's wrappers. Authorized German translation from the Czech by Otto Pick. Published by Franz Pfemfert as volume 24/25 of the celebrated expressionist series Der Rote Hahn.

The first German edition of Josef Čapek's early collection of stories, issued during the final year of the First World War. The volume is richly illustrated throughout with Čapek's striking expressionist black-and-white drawings and woodcuts, including full-page and in-text compositions integral to the text. An attractive example from Pfemfert's avant-garde publishing program, which introduced many important Central European modernist writers to a German-speaking audience.

Good condition. Spine lightly sunned with minor wear and a few short closed splits at the folds; contents clean and complete, wrappers otherwise well preserved. A desirable early German appearance of one of Josef Čapek's most important pre-war literary works.