präzise Unschär(precise unsharpness/unfocus) is a book that invites readers to participate in my personal journey of discovery through the pages of the logbook of my great-grandfather, a marine-soldier under the regiment of Hitler. In this logbook he documents the first deployment of the «Kreuzer Leipzig», a ship of the german navy, on the northwest coast of Spain from August to September 1936. Which means the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.
The aim of my work was to make this historical document accessible. It would be unforgivable to forget this cruel historical heritage. The attempt to read the entries in the original source was a frustrating experience, due to missing historical context about the Spanish Civil War, as well as legibility. The historical form of German handwriting («Sütterlin») my great-grandfather used for his entries is no longer in use and hard to decipher.
Structure & Design Concept
The source is approached both formally and historically. In the middle section, entries selected by me in the form of accounts of experiences, newspaper cutouts, photographs, small sketches, notes and documents are shown and interpreted, contextualized, and/or commented. In this process specific details come into sharper focus, while others remain blurred. The conclusion includes an outlook on subsequent historical events, a personal reflection, and an index of images and sources.
In terms of form, the book is strongly based on the original logbook: The final format of 187mm × 259mm is slightly smaller than the original, but has the same proportions. The linen hardcover builds a reference anchored in the present by the print. The structure of introduction, main part, and conclusion mirrors the chronological narrative structure of the original. Instead of a table of contents or page numbers, only a list of illustrations in the final section serves as a guide. The original excerpts are continuously placed on the right page, while translations, historical information, personal comments and other additions are placed on the left page. So, both levels of information come together on one spread. To hide and reveal certain information by turning over the page, occasionally red translucent paper is used in between. The page layout is based on the table format of the original pages. Fragments of this table serve as repeating design element throughout the book.
The color palette and selection of paper is referring to the warm yellow, grey and brown tones of the original with red as a highlight color. Since the written parts in the logbook are black, this color is never uses for additional information.
Thanks to Merlin and my grandpa for entrusting me with the artefact and making it accessible.
Developed within the module Practice Concept lead by Jinsu Ahn @HGK FHNW IDCE, The Basel School of Design.
