After studying arts and crafts in Berlin, he began working as a commercial artist and soon after he met George Grosz, who introduced him to a new approach to art. In 1917 he joined the Berlin Club Dada. In 1920 he organised the First International Dada Fair and worked with Malik-Verlag publishing company to create the dusk jacket for books introducing photography and develop his concept of ‘photomontage’. He created The Meaning of Geneva, where capitals live, there can be no peace! With the Nazi power, Heartfield fled to the UK. After the war he returned to Berlin, where he took on a position at the Humboldt University. Here he collaborated with Bertold Brecht and only years later he was recognised by the East Germany Akademie der Künste. He continued to dedicate himself to theatre, designing costumes and stage sets.