Biography His name is common knowledge today.
But hardly anyone knows Ernst Litfass, who 150 years ago founded the
In the beginning there was the need to urinate. Or more precisely,
the difficulties with the removal of their results. In the middle of the
In the 19th century, Berliners still discharged their waste water into the
Spree. The city authorities had something against it, but no money for
an alternative. If you don't have money, you need ideas. One such idea
Ernst Litfass, who wanted to put advertisements on fountains,
should set up 100 "urinoirs" for permission to do so. The administration
had done the math without the printer, however: Litfass was
but in the contract that the police commissioner signed for the city
signed, there was no more mention of Urinoirs.
Pact with the police
Litfass and his crony, the police chief, had other ideas.
plans. They were disturbed by the wildly postered attacks with mostly
incendiary content, which Berlin had become famous for after the riots of 1848.
for years. And this despite the fact that Litfass was also initially
had campaigned for civil republican freedoms. Not on
the barricades, but instead at the type case: He printed flyers and gave the
satirical revolutionary newspaper "Berliner Krakehler". Because he had his
soon buried democratic hopes and, moreover, a healthy
business sense, the change of sides did not cause him any problems.
Unlike his partner, Litfass was not concerned with peace and order,
but money and influence. With the aforementioned contract, he had
secured a monopoly: Only he was allowed to sell so-called
Announcement pillars, such as those already in place in Paris and London.
knew for longer. On July 1, 1855, the first "Litfasssäule"
with a polka composed especially for the occasion. 150 years later
there are 4000 of them in the new federal capital alone.
During his lifetime, Litfass was denied the recognition he so dearly desired.
was looking for. Although he enjoyed balls, banquets and patriotic celebrations
although he was more successful and more creative: he managed to
never entered the better circles of Berlin. Litfass always stood in the shadow of the
Siemens, Halske, Borsig and Rathenau. Perhaps because he never
to a conviction because he only did what was feasible.
But perhaps also because he turned his nose to the wind too often,
was a shrewd puffer for himself.
The double life of a bohemian
The fact that Ernst Litfass was ahead of his time can also be seen in the
that he was advertising his advertisement. The poster itself
was already the message for him. His advertising pillars were pure
eye candy, paid homage like "totem poles of the commodity" - according to Wilfried F.
Schoeller in his biography, which is well worth reading - and changed the
Cityscape not only in Berlin. Litfass was a border crosser between
Art and commerce: at the age of 34, he founded the Theater Lätitia, and
Under the pseudonym Flodoardo, the successful businessman appeared as a
Amateur actor and amateur poet. Bookseller, printer,
Actor, advertising colporteur, inventor, poet, impresario - Ernst
Litfass played many roles well. However, he was at his best as
Self-promoter. Nothing he did was done without an ulterior motive,
whether it would open the door to the higher circles for him. But the
Class barriers were too high. It was only after his death that the
Berliner, as he had always longed for. Today he lies in a
Grave of honor at the Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof in Berlin Mitte.
Roger Hausmann
Ernst Litfass, the advertising king;
by Wilfried F. Schoeller. Schöffling & Co, Frankfurt a.M. 2005. 224 pages,
36 francs.
