Specials - Theo Ortner

Two glossy art magazines, 'Kunst im Deutschen Reich' and 'Kunst dem Volk' were published late into the war, despite desperate paper shortages. Over half of the artworks pictured consisted of pastoral scenes, nude women, or otherwise relatively nonpolitical art. There was, however, a significant amount of military art as well. There were always a number of pieces of war art at the annual exhibition of German art in Munich. Thanks to AvB I can let you share some fine drawings of 'BunkerArt' with me.  They were made by the German painter Theo Ortner. He was born in Munich 1899 and studied to become a painter in Nuremberg and Munich. After the great war he traveled throughout Europe to return to Germany in 1929. Being a rather well-known artist in his days he saw action during the German invasion of Poland 1939 as a 'Kriegsberichter' (war correspondent). During the rest of the second world war he worked as a 'Kriegsmaler' (war painter) for the 'Organisation Todt' where he made drawings of 'Atlantikwall' bunkers or French ports. If you should have any more info about Theo Ortner or one of his colleagues, please let me know. More examples see Geoff Walden's site.

Some examples of his work:

'GESCHÜTZ AN DER KANALKÜSTE'

Obviously the German artist who decorated the walls of the Dutch 'Pantserfort' in IJmuiden must have been inspired by Theo Ortner. Or one could say he just made a fine copy!

 Gun-bunker on the channel-coast

I gues this must be La Rochelle?

'U-BOOT BOXEN', Kunst im Deutschen Reich, April 1944.

'ATLANTIKWALL', Kunst im Deutschen Reich, April 1944.

 Pens for submarines. La Rochelle?

 Atlanticwall, 630 under construction?

'U-BOOT VERLÄSST EINE BOXE'

'DIE ALTEN BEFESTIGUNGSANLAGEN VON LA ROCHELLE'

 A sub leaves a wet pen

 The old ramparts of the city of La Rochelle, F