How Futura Nearly Became the Nazi Font of Choice
There’s more to it than Supreme and Barbara Kruger.
The Futura typeface, popularized by Supreme‘s notorious box logo and Barbara Kruger‘s artwork, could have been much more infamous had it not escaped the Nazis. Created by Paul Renner in 1920s Germany, the Bauhaus-esque font was an idealistic “vision for the future of type” that caught steam during a period of acute revolution when the Nazis began to exert power over Germany. Futura’s modern design became a symbol of change and of German aesthetics, making it a critical motif for the Nazis. Fortunately, the Nazis favored the elaborate Fraktur typeface over the avant-garde Futura, exiling the font and its creator from Germany. By the time the Nazis were defeated, Futura had established itself as the international font of the future, appearing on the Apollo 11 spaceship and eventually taking over global advertisements and designs. Watch the brief documentary by Vox above and share your thoughts in the comments below.
