The dachshund, a humorous icon with political symbolism
From Picasso to Andy Warhol, a surprising number of artists have portrayed the German breed. But the dachshund has also at times been co-opted as a political symbol.
Pablo Picasso had numerous muses throughout his career, but one of them, a dachshund named Lump, enjoyed a unique bond with the artist. Lump was initially owned by US photojournalist David Douglas Duncan, who introduced the dog to Picasso during a visit to the painter's villa in Cannes in 1967. The two became fast friends, with Lump even choosing to live with Picasso for the next six years.
This special connection found its way into Picasso's art as he painted Lump's portrait onto a ceramic dinner plate on the same day they met. The dachshund's distinctive silhouette, with its long ears and short legs, has made it an instantly recognizable and iconic figure in art, advertising, and beyond. Notable artists like Andy Warhol, Otto Dix, David Hockney, Max Liebermann, and Rosemarie Trockel have all paid tribute to the breed in their work.
Historically, dachshunds were bred in Germany over 300 years ago to track and chase burrowing animals like badgers, foxes, rabbits, and more. The breed gained official recognition in 1879, with the German Teckel Club established in 1888. In German, the breed is commonly known as Dackel or Teckel, while English speakers often call them wiener dogs or sausage dogs.
Beyond their hunting roots, dachshunds have played a surprising role in German cultural history, ranging from bourgeois stereotypes to Olympic icons. Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany's last emperor, was a dachshund enthusiast who owned several dogs, two of which - Wadl and Hexlsome - reportedly caused a diplomatic incident in 1908 by killing one of Archduke Franz Ferdinand's prized golden pheasants.
Despite the dachshund's association with Germany, its popularity in the United States declined during World War I due to the country's nickname of "liberty hounds." During World War II, dachshunds were utilized for military purposes such as mine detection although these duties were less glamorous compared to rumors published by the UK's tabloid press about the Nazis attempting to create armies of talking dachshunds.
The dachshund's playful and endearing personality has also made it a popular mascot, most notably as Waldi, the official mascot for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Designed by graphic designer Otl Aicher and his intern Elena Schwaiger, Waldi's simple pastel color palette provided a stark contrast to Germany's heavy symbols from the Third Reich, representing a fresh, likable image for the nation.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
