One can imagine a poster from 1930s Berlin or a Dutch tram sign: large, compressed letters reading “AUSFAHRT” or “UITGANG,” where the ‘U’ is a heavy chalice, the ‘T’ a blunt hammer, and the overall texture a solid bar of ink. That is the domain of this typeface.
Europa Grotesk No. 2 SH Ultra is likely a variation of the Europa Grotesk font, with "SH" possibly indicating a condensed or narrow version, and "Ultra" suggesting a bold or heavy weight. europa grotesk no 2 sh ultra
Europa Grotesk, likely first cast by a German or Dutch foundry (the “SH” suffix suggests or a related merger), belongs to this second generation of grotesks. It smoothed some of the earlier eccentricities while preserving the core traits: low contrast, a large x-height, and an unadorned, direct character. The “No. 2” designation implies that the foundry offered multiple variants—perhaps a No. 1 with different proportions or slightly altered glyphs. “Ultra” declares the most extreme weight in the series: not merely bold or extra bold, but a near-black, condensed or wide letterform intended for maximal impact. One can imagine a poster from 1930s Berlin
Typography is often about subtlety, but is a typeface that demands to be seen. As the heaviest member of the Europa Grotesk family, "Ultra" lives up to its name—it is thick, commanding, and surprisingly versatile for a font carrying this much visual weight. 2 SH Ultra is likely a variation of
Europa Grotesk is a sans-serif typeface designed by Swiss typographer and type designer, Hans-Joachim Stempler. The font was released in 1957.
Potential applications would have included:
