Editing Hermann Zapf (section)

== Early life ==
Zapf was born in [[Nuremberg]]<ref name=DW /> during turbulent times marked by the [[German Revolution of 1918–1919]] in Munich and [[Berlin]], the end of [[World War I]], the exile of Kaiser [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm]], and the establishment of [[Bavaria]] as a [[Free state (polity)|free state]] by [[Kurt Eisner]]. In addition, the [[Spanish flu|Spanish flu pandemic]] took hold in Europe in 1918 and 1919. Two of Zapf's siblings died of the disease.<ref name=NYTobit /> [[Famine]] later struck Germany, and Zapf's mother was grateful to send him to school in 1925, where he received daily meals in a program organized by [[Herbert Hoover]]. In school, Zapf was mainly interested in technical subjects. One of his favorite books was the annual science journal ''Das neue Universum'' (The New Universe). He and his older brother experimented with electricity, building a [[crystal radio]] and an alarm system for his house. Even at this early age, Zapf was already getting involved with type, inventing [[cipher]] alphabets to exchange secret messages with his brother.

Zapf left school in 1933 with the ambition of pursuing a career in [[electrical engineering]]. However, his father had become unemployed and was in trouble with the newly established [[Nazi Germany|Third Reich]], having been involved with trade unions,<ref name=NYTobit /> and was sent to the [[Dachau concentration camp]] for a short time.