(Black Interest, Racism and Racial Stereotypes in Children's Literature, German Expressionism) UZARSKI, Adolf. DIE 10 KLEINEN NEGERBUBEN IN AFRIKA IN HEITEREN REIMEN UND VIELEN BUNTEN BILDERN (NO. 197) [THE 10 LITTLE NEGRO BOYS IN AFRICA IN CHEERFUL RHYMES AND MANY COLORFUL PICTURES].
[Mainz]: [Joseph Scholz], [1925]. FIRST EDITION. Oblong 16mo - 4-1/4" x 5". Color pictorial glazed paper-covered boards. Leporello folding out to 3-15/16" x 72", composed of [15] continuous chromolithographic sections, the first of which is pasted down to the inside front cover. Illustrated throughout with vibrant, full-color Expressionist chromolithographs by Adolf Uzarski accompanying verse text printed below each image. The physical condition of the item is graded VERY GOOD + (utilizing the standard antiquarian book grading scale for works on paper). Boards exhibit minor toning and spotting along the bottom and fore-edge of the front panel, with light age-toning and a single tiny spot of discoloration to the rear board. Internally near fine, the continuous accordion-fold structure remaining sound and intact; chromolithographic plates are remarkably clean and vivid with only subtle marginal toning consistent with age.
German Expressionism and Racial Tropes in Weimar Children's Literature
Published as No. 197 in the publisher Joseph Scholz's famed "Klipp-Klapp" chain-book series, this work serves as the narrative sequel to Adolf Uzarski's Die Geschichte von den 10 kleinen Negerbuben (No. 196). Operating under the traditional countdown narrative structure, the verse recounts ten young Black boys being systematically eliminated through exoticized African mishaps—including encounters with lions, falling coconuts, and rogue elephants. Beyond its reflection of pervasive early twentieth-century colonial tropes and racial caricatures, the volume holds significant artistic importance within Weimar-era graphic design: Uzarski’s dynamic compositions and avant-garde color palettes represent one of the very few documented instances of true Expressionist visual art directly integrated into commercial children's picture book illustration.
Institutional Census and Extreme Structural Fragility
Designed as a fragile, novelty folding "leporello" for juvenile handling, complete unbroken copies of this title surviving in original glazed boards are exceedingly rare. A current global sweep of the OCLC/WorldCat database locates only 1 copy preserved in institutional special collections worldwide (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek in Leipzig).
Institutional Note on Caricature and Period Context
Curatorial Disclaimer: This publication contains historical racial caricatures, stereotypical depictions, and derogatory nomenclature targeting individuals of African descent. These materials reflect the pervasive societal prejudices and commercial marketing tropes of the Weimar era. They are offered here strictly as primary historical documentation for scholarly research into the evolution of children's literature, racial iconography, and the history of visual prejudice.
THIS RARE WEIMAR LEPORELLO OFFERS AN EXTREMELY SCARCE INTERSECTION OF AVANT-GARDE GRAPHIC ART AND HISTORICAL RACIAL STEREOTYPES IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY GERMAN JUVENILE LITERATURE, REPRESENTING A CRITICAL ACQUISITION FOR INSTITUTIONAL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS OR EXTRAORDINARY PRIVATE COLLECTIONS DEVOTED TO THE HISTORY OF BLACK INTEREST, GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM, OR RACISM IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE.
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