Nieuwjaarswens voor 1944 van Rudolf Manderla 1943

Karl Hugo Frech created this New Year's greeting card for 1944, featuring an etched depiction of a town with a prominent clock tower. Consider the clock tower, a symbol that pierces the sky, a visual echo of humanity's yearning to transcend earthly limitations. The clock within marks not just time, but the relentless march of fate—a particularly poignant symbol in 1944. Towers have always served as potent symbols across cultures, from the Tower of Babel—an ancient symbol of man's hubris—to the ziggurats of Mesopotamia. This image, however, reflects a more constrained ambition, a wish for a better future during a dark chapter of history. The tower embodies the collective hope for time to move forward, to usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. Despite the turmoil, Frech's etching encapsulates a potent message of endurance, a testament to the enduring human spirit.