Fritz Mühlenweg

Fritz Mühlenweg (also Fritz Muhlenweg; 11 December 1898 – 13 September 1961) was a German painter and author. His most famous book is In geheimer Mission durch die Wüste Gobi (part one in English Big Tiger and Compass Mountain), published in 1950. It was later shortened and translated into English under the title Big Tiger and Christian.

Early life

Fritz Mühlenweg was born in 1898 as a son of a chemist in Konstanz. He was educated as a chemist in Bielefeld and took over the family business after his father died. He left Konstanz in 1926 for Berlin. There, Mühlenweg began to work as an accountant for Deutsche Luft Hansa, a newly formed airline company.

Work with Luft Hansa

In 1927, Luft Hansa contributed to the Sino-Swedish expedition to Central and South Asia, following plans for an airline connection between Berlin and Beijing. With Sven Hedin as their guide, the expedition would check out meteorological conditions. Mühlenweg joined to expedition as the financial and materials manager from 1927 to 1928. He returned for a second trip to Central Asia in the winter of 1929-1930. In 1931, Mühlenweg took his last and longest trip to the area, to observe weather conditions with a German meteorologist in the Gobi Desert.

Career in art

In 1932, Mühlenweg joined the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and studied painting, but soon dropped out. In Vienna he met his future spouse, Elisabeth Kopriva. In 1934, after their wedding, the couple moved to Allensbach, where both worked as independent artists. During World War II, Mühlenweg was drafted as a customs officer guarding the Swiss border. The Mühlenwegs had seven children.[1]

He started publishing literary works in 1946. His greatest success, In geheimer Mission durch die Wüste Gobi, was published in 1950 as the two parts Großer-Tiger und Kompaß-Berg and Null Uhr fünf in Urumtschi. The juvenile adventure novel was set in China and Mongolia, and was based on the experiences Mühlenweg collected during his expeditions.

Mühlenweg died in Allensbach in 1961 from the effects of a stroke. His wife survived him less than two days.

Works

As editor

Translations

Exhibitioncatalogue

References

  1. ↑ Big Tiger and Christian (1954); dustjacket
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