Lorenz Reinhard Spitzenpfeil was a German teacher, author, and type designer. He was born in Michelau in 1874, studied in Bamberg and Nürnberg, but lived most of his life in Kulmbach. He wrote several books about type design,Spitzenpfeil, 1911, 1912a, 1912b. and published typefaces with the German type foundries Genzsch & Heyse and Ludwig & Mayer.Reichardt, 2011.
In 1944, Spitzenpfeil was included in Die Gottbegnadeten (“The God-given”), Hitler’s list of “irreplaceable” artists.Kellenter, 2020. The national-conservativeNiehr, 2009, p. 189. Bund für die deutsche Schrift (“Association for German Script and Language”) published a biography of Spitzenpfeil in 1983.Stettner, 1983. As American forces advanced on Germany, Spitzenpfeil ended his own life in 1945.Reichardt, ibid.
Niehr, T. (2009). Fraktur script and purism – an unholy alliance: The re-ideologization of typefaces in the 21st century. In: Elisabeth Birk, Jan Georg Schneider (eds.): Philosophy of Writing, pp. 183–201. Niemeyer.
Kellenter, T. (2020). Spitzenpfeil, Lorenz. In Die Gottbegnadeten: Hitlers Liste unersetzbarer Künstler, p. 190. Kiel.
Reichardt, H. (2011). Lorenz Reinhard Spitzenpfeil. In International Index of Hot-Metal Typefaces. Klingspor Museum. Retrieved 3 October 2026 from klingspor-museum.de
Spitzenpfeil, L. R. (1911). Die Behandlung der Schrift in Kunst und Gewerbe. Eine Einführung in die Schriftbildung, Schrifttechnik und Schriftanwendung [The Treatment of Lettering in Art and Craft: An Introduction to Lettering Design, Technique, and Application]. Nürnberg.
Spitzenpfeil, L. R. (1912a). Die Grundformen neuzeitlicher Druckschriften [The basic forms of modern typefaces]. Leipzig.
Spitzenpfeil, L. R. (1912b). Der Schriftkünstler: Anleitung zur Kunstschrift [The Lettering Artist: A Guide to Artistic Lettering]. Hannover/Wien.
Stettner, H. (1983). Lorenz Reinhard Spitzenpfeil: Heimatforſcher, Kunſtgelerter, Schriftkünſtler [Lorenz Reinhard Spitzenpfeil: Local Historian, Art Teacher, Letter Artist]. In Die deutsche Schrift (Vol. 69). Bund für die deutsche Schrift. Retrieved 3 October 2026 from luc.devroye.org
