Fritz Wegner facts for kids

Fritz Wegner (born September 15, 1924, died March 15, 2015) was a talented artist and illustrator. He was born in Austria but moved to the United Kingdom in 1938. He became famous for his detailed and funny illustrations in many children's books.

Early Life and Moving to the UK

Fritz Wegner was born in Vienna, Austria, on September 15, 1924. He came from a Jewish family. When he was 13, a drawing he made of Adolf Hitler caused big problems at school. Because of the dangerous situation in Austria at the time, his parents arranged for him to leave. In August 1938, young Fritz traveled alone to London, England. Later, his parents and sister were also able to join him there.

Learning to Be an Artist

Even though he was only 14, Fritz was very talented. He got a special scholarship to study at St Martin's School of Art. This was a big deal! He also lived with the family of one of his teachers, George Mansell, in Hampstead Garden Suburb. Mr. Mansell taught him English and helped him learn about lettering and drawing.

Fritz remembered how kind this was. He said, "It was an extremely generous thing to do." He lived with the Mansell family for several years. During this time, he learned a lot about art, including how to draw letters and use pens. This helped him start his passion for illustrating. He studied at St. Martins School of Art from 1939 to 1942.

Starting His Career

In 1942, during World War II, Fritz was assigned to work on farms in Buckinghamshire. He even became a poster artist for the local farming committee. While there, he met Janet Barber, a journalist. They got married two years later.

After the war, Fritz became a freelance artist in London. This meant he worked for himself, taking on different art projects. He started by drawing for Lilliput magazine and creating covers for books.

Illustrating Books for All Ages

The publishing company Hamish Hamilton helped launch his career as a book illustrator. He worked on many book covers and illustrations for both adult and children's books. He drew the covers for famous books like The Catcher in the Rye (1951) and Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye.

Fritz also illustrated religious stories, such as The Story of Noah's Ark (1956) by Dorothy L. Sayers. His drawings for Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang (1975) by Mordecai Richler were inspired by older illustrations for Oliver Twist.

Working on Many Projects

To support his family, Fritz worked constantly. He created illustrations for many different magazines, including John Bull, Radio Times, and Farmers Weekly. He also designed postage stamps for holidays. From 1973, he drew for the American children's magazine Cricket, which featured funny insect characters.

His artwork is known for its amazing historical details and gentle, funny style. One of his most popular works is his illustrations for Fattypuffs and Thinifers. He said this book "gave me the opportunity to test my invention and humour."

Fritz Wegner often worked with the author Allan Ahlberg, especially after Allan's wife, Janet, passed away in 1994.

Teaching Future Artists

Fritz was also a visiting teacher at St Martin's School of Art for 25 years, starting in 1969. He taught many younger British illustrators who later became famous themselves. Some of his students included Nick Sharratt and George Hardie.

Fritz was nominated twice for the Kurt Maschler Award. This award celebrates children's books where the words and pictures work perfectly together. He was recognized for his illustrations in Till Owlyglass by Michael Rosen and The Tale of the Turnip by Brian Alderson.

Personal Life

Fritz Wegner married Janet Barber in 1945. They had a daughter and two sons. He loved to paint for fun in his free time. He also collected books, paintings, engravings, musical instruments, and china.

Fritz Wegner passed away on March 15, 2015.

Images for kids

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  Grave of Fritz Wegner in Highgate Cemetery