Fritz Kahn was a German doctor, educator, popular science writer, and information graphics pioneer whose brilliant work has all but fallen into oblivion. Chased out of Germany by the Nazis, who banned and burned his books, Kahn emigrated to Palestine, then France, and finally the United States to continue his life's work. Though his achievements were numerous, the most notable was the development of creative visualizations to explain complex scientific ideas. Published on the 125th anniversary of Kahn's birth and destined to bring his work back into the spotlight, this monograph features more than 350 illustrations with extensive captions, three original texts by Fritz Kahn, a foreword by Steven Heller, and an essay about Kahn’s life and œuvre. Natural science buffs, graphics professionals, and anyone interested in visual expression of ideas will be fascinated by this tribute to Kahn’s greatest achievements.
The author
Brother and sister Uta and Thilo von Debschitz have collaborated on several picture/text projects. They were awarded the 2009 German Photo Book Award for their first book, Frank Kunert. Topsy-Turvy World (Hatje Cantz Verlag) and in the same year they published their first book on Fritz Kahn. Uta von Debschitz was as an architect until 2002, when she became a journalist focusing on culture and health. In 2010, she curated the exhibition of Fritz Kahn visual work at the Berlin Museum of Medical History and is currently doing a doctorate on Kahn's visualizations at the Berlin University of the Arts. Thilo von Debschitz worked as a designer and art director in international advertising and design agencies after completing his Communication Design studies. In 1997, he founded the creative agency Q in Wiesbaden, which has won many awards for its print and online media projects.
