Paul Otto Engelhard

Paul Otto Engelhard (April 14, 1872, in Offenbach am Main – March 18, 1924, in Munich) was an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer active in Munich. Just before the turn of the century, he contributed illustrations for the Meggendorfer Blätter and later for Münchner Jugend, a magazine.

Engelhard created countless postcards featuring motifs from Munich, many of which depicted the city’s symbol, the Münchner Kindl. His postcards promoted various attractions, including the Munich Zoo, the Munich Ratskeller, and the Hofbräuhaus. He also developed an annual cycle featuring the Münchner Kindl engaged in seasonal activities for each month—skiing in January, dressed as a fool in February, and so on. Often, these postcards were adorned with humorous captions. The Munich dachshund was another favorite subject of his work, and he famously illustrated a dachshund dressed in traditional Bavarian attire, complete with hat and lederhosen. This playful motif remains popular to this day. Engelhard typically signed his works as P.O.E. During World War I, he worked as a graphic designer for the War Ministry in Berlin, producing postcards that trivialized the war effort, often depicting children in uniforms playing at war and waving flags.