series of editorials on prominent designers

wilhelm deffke created over ten thousand commercial logos, but it wasn’t just the quantity that turned out to be quite astonishing for his time.

 deffke also was one of the first graphic designers who put all his professional effort into that field, way before paul rand, saul bass and other better-known pioneers of visual identity.

Wilhelm Deffke sits in front of his poster design for High School for Decorative Art

Wilhelm Deffke and his poster design for High School for Decorative Art, 1912. © The Estate of Wilhelm Deffke.

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Black and white photo of the suspension railroad in Elberfeld, Germany

The suspension railroad in Elberfeld, Germany, circa 1921.

born in Elberfeld, Germany

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graduates from Elberfeld School
of Applied Arts

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starts his 1-year apprenticeship in Peter Behrens’ studio

Mies van der Rohe, Adolf Meyer, Max Hertwig, Bernhard Weyrather, Jean Krämer and Walter Gropius

creating marks is best left to professionals with experience, practice and the artistic strength to make them unique. —wilhelm deffke

A logotype depicting two white horse heads attached to a house
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