“Winter Tourist” (November 8, 1941)
by Jay Alan Klein (1894-1965)
15 x 19 in., ink on board

Born in Nebraska, Klein was an animator and assistant at Terry-toons in the early ‘30s and later became a print cartoonist, credited as “Alan Klein” or “Jay Alan.”

He attended the University of Nebraska and Chicago of Fine Arts. Known for his political cartoons during WWII but mostly for his work with Modest Maidens until AP terminated all its comics in 1961. He changed the name to Modern Maidens and began syndicating the cartoon himself.

The Italian invasion of Greece lasted from October 28, 1940 to April 30, 1941, kicking off the Axis move towards the Balkans. Italian forces made limited gains, and soon the Greeks counter-attacked and the Italians were repulsed and driven back at the borders with Albania. The Italians spent much of the winter stabilizing a line that left them in control of only about two-thirds of Albania. An anticipated Italian offensive in March 1941 resulted in few territorial gains. Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, intervened in April and invaded Greece after a successful invasion of Yugoslavia.