Walter Mehring

Mehring’s caustic satire — verse, songs, novels and more — profoundly irritated the Nazi régime. He contributed to Walden’s magazine ‘Der Sturm’, meeting Lasker-Schüler and Trakl in his circle. He was a founder-member of Berlin Dada, his great friend Grosz, as well as Huelsenbeck, Hausmann, Baader, Jung, Herzfelde and Heartfield, all fellow-agitators. He took Schwitters up to meet Grosz. Piscator staged his play, and Reinhardt got him (and Tucholsky, who became a friend) writing for his cabaret ‘Schall und Rauch’. He was friendly with Horváth and Toller. Grosz faithfully supported him after MGM’s stipend expired.