e inevitable that it was going to die, they would rather inherit the benefits sooner than later. It was this speech by Tarnow that Heartfield used for the basis of his Tiger Montage (Kahn, 79). The imagery used in this photomontage contains a man's body dressed in somewhat formal garb (suit, collared shirt, and bowtie). Instead of human head, that of a growling tiger is seen. Also, on the tie of the tiger, if one looks close enough, a small swastika pin is seen. The text used in this photomontage is essential for understanding the piece. It contains two quotes. The first reads as follows: "Social Democracy does not want the collapse of capitalism. Like a doctor it wants to heal and improve it (Fritz Tarnow, Chairman of the Woodworkers Foundation)." Along with this quote a second quote is also printed as follows: The Veterinarians of Leipzig: "It goes without saying that we shall knock out the teeth of the tiger, but first of all, we must feed him and nurse him back to health (Kahn, 73)." By paraphrasing Tarnow's speech in the first quote, Heartfield puts the photomontage in a historical context. The veterinarians of Leipzig are a reference to the Social Democrats of Germany. Tarnow's quote about a doctor wanting to heal and improve capitalism is in direct relation to how a veterinarian heals animals, in this case the tiger, which is a representation of capitalism. In the first quote Tarnow speaks on behalf of the SPD. In the second quote, the SPD speaks for themselves (Kahn, 81). Through the formal attire of the tiger, there is a direct connection to extreme wealth gained by few due to capitalism. Although the power of this photomontage comes from the text, the image goes hand-in-hand in the interpretation of the total montage. Tarnow's character is represented within the tiger because of the singularity of the image. The implications of the SPD are conveyed through the title and also connections between Tarnow ...
