Hellerau – a road to the future or a model of urban planning from the beginning of the 20 th century? 61 2011 No. 1(29) Monika Wolting* Hellerau – a road to the future or a model of urban planning from the beginning of the 20 th century? Life reform At the beginning of the 20 th century, an important a specific wholeness and uniformity, surpassing all funda- project of reforms was born in Germany and Switzerland mentality and not limited to single meanings and that which originated from a profound intellectual and cultural would not be their mechanical composition [3, p. 75]. movement that affected the conservative elites as well as According to the poetics of numerical definitions, in the artistic avant-garde and groups of workers inspired by his contribution to life reform in the volume of Dzieje socialism. What united them all was the idea of creating kultury niemieckiej 2UáRZVNL OLVWV WKH IROORZLQJ a different and better society, even though to many the projects of new forms of life: youth movements roads leading to a goal formulated in such a way seemed (Jugendbewegung, Wandervogel), the concept of controversial. The modern design released the social regional arts movement (Heimatkunstbewegung), gar- potential of energy and the will to renew, modernize and den city movements (Gartenstadtbewegung), Nordic improve social relations which were a legacy of the 19 th movement, neo-Pagan and neo-Germanic groups, the- century. An attempt was made to resolve the growing osophy, anthroposophy, project of urbanization “for conflicts which were brought about by modern currents life” and ecological building as well as art colonies and and to connect the emerging systems with the uncompro- art estates, rural communes and residential projects, mising nature of the experience of the traditional world. animal protection, projects of reformed pedagogy, nat- The idea, utopias, and designs as well as implemented ural body cult and physical fitness, knowledge and projects whose origins date back to the early 20 th century acceptance of body, ecological nudism and naturism, can provide a variety of answers to the questions arising sexual reform, visual literacy (Lichtwark), project of also today which regard the social future of the commu- general social hygiene, marriage and education reform, nity, the forms of concentrating in urban centers, the form tamed Nietzscheanism, project of religiousness reform, of educating the youth for the future global village, the anti-civilization reactions, life guidance projects [5]. social responsibility for transforming the natural environ- The projects listed above belong to social utopias of ment, the care for solidary human coexistence and main- the beginning of the 20 th century; they represent an taining physical health. These collective hopes which objection of social individuals to the universal quality were voiced out loud at the turn of the 19 th and 20 th cen- of life generated by the existing capitalist system. They turies create the topos of a “new man” and it seems that originate from the imaginary world of an alternative also today the desires and needs of social individuals are society. The history of German culture indicates numer- the same and that today the life reform movement can ous attempts at creating models of utopian societies give the world a lot of impulses and solutions for a better both in literature and in reality such as: the Idea Tower future life in a world threatened by urbanization and alter- Society, Goethe’s Pedagogic Province, Hermann native forms of organization of social life. In 1913, Georg Hesse’s Castalia, Rilke’s and Heidegger’s idea of reli- Simmel declared that: Our awareness should become gion without God, the Folkwang idea, Waldorffs’ vil- lages, reverence communities – Herrenhuter Gemeinschaft, Gottes Acker as well as the freemasonry * 8QLYHUVLW\RI:URFáDZ . movement. 62 Monika Wolting The life reform movement was based on criticism of lished by Sir Ebenezer Howard. However, the form in industrialization, materialism and urbanization. which it appeared in Germany was dominated by the Rousseau’s slogan – “return to nature” – was the motto idealistic, anarchic, reactionary and progressive ideas. of the members of the movement. Actually, the scien- The German idea of the garden city fits in between uto- tists even today cannot unambiguously identify the pian life – connecting culture, education, artistic activi- direction of that movement. In literature on the subject, ty, and everyday life – and a reactive ideology of they talk about modernist and anti-modernist as well as nationalists as well as a pragmatic attempt to implement reactionary groups. The characteristic features of that social, ownership, and land reforms. In Germany, it was period included the formation of hostility among bour- initiated by writers and artists gathered around geois, intellectual, romantic and agrarian communities Friedrichshagener Dichterkreis and Neue Gemeinschaft. against huge cities, which resulted in the members of The proclaimers of that movement included brothers that social group escaping to the village, which was in Heinrich and Julius Hart as well as Bernhard and Paul line with the movement’s guiding principle. Some of Kampfmeier. The members of the German Garden City them felt satisfied with establishing allotment gardens Association (Deutsche Gartenstadt-gesellschaft) includ- which complied with the ideas of the Allotment Society HGHJ:LOKHOP%|OVFKH GLHGLQ6]NODUVND3RUĊED DQG (Schrebergärten-Verein) which operated already since Fidus (painter). Architects, sculptors, people connected the middle of the 19 th century, whereas others moved to with applied art, industrialists, social politicians, mem- newly built and often architecturally sophisticated hous- bers of administration and cooperative management ing developments – garden cities, mansion districts, boards joined the Association only later. This group was garden suburbs. Still others founded communes or not a building society but it was an organization aiming shared ownership communities in the country which at disseminating the ideas of garden cities. Its members were economically self-sufficient and highly ideologi- claimed that We, the Germans, follow the principle: first cal. This way new communities were established with the theory and then the practice. And that method shall the same ideology, following the autarkic and autono- bring us success! [2, p. 25]. mous lifestyle. The communities living in the first such Aimed at reason, but at the same time the bright, aus- estates shared a certain guiding principle; it could be the tere, and sensation-oriented world of the passing 19 th Folkwang idea (Hellerau garden city near Dresden; century was to be replaced with a new world which Hohenhagen, Mathildenhöhe in Darmstadt, art village would be simple, close to nature and paying attention to Worpswede near Bremen), common form of life (vege- details. The new objective of a work of art was to tarian village Eden near Oranienburg), anarchism, express the human soul. Art, as a guardian of senses, socialism, anti-urbanism (Monte Veritá near Ascona) or was to occupy the center of life of each individual, wrote the idea of homeland (Heimland). Ulrich Linse, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, director of the Institute of a Marxist writer, drew the conclusion that the formation Rhythmic Gymnastics in Hellerau. Furthermore, the of shared ownership communities was an anti-urban experience of home and safety, as noted by Ferdinand revolution of progressive intelligentsia living in the city. Avenarius, editor of Kunstwart who came from Prague, This phenomenon can be described as the cult of village should be adamantly searched for. A gray city was con- or agrarian utopia of urban writers. Linse sees a form of fronted with a blooming city, the garden city [3, p. 22]. escapism in that movement. The idea of an art village The motto of the flourishing reform movements was – a garden city – is undoubtedly a result of such a posi- filled with zeal: culture instead of civilization. The tion of progressive intellectualists in Germany and reformers were going to resolve the hot burning social Switzerland. Although the idea, or rather the notion of issues with the use of educational means and social a garden city, originated in England where it was estab- esthetics. Garden city and art colony It was already in the 19 th century that the first villa the centuries brought about a variety of movements and colonies (Villenkolonie) were designed in Germany in DQWLXUEDQSURMHFWVZKLFKFDQEHVHHQDV2UáRZVNLSXW city suburbs. This architectural thought was adopted by it, as a kind of “anti-civilization syndrome” [5, p. 398]. the rich bourgeoisie. The typical model residential The Los-von-Berlin-Bewegung movement, which was estates include Lichterfelde West and Grunewald in growing at that time, was a reaction to metropolis, Berlin. They are exceptional on the European scale in urbanized centers, poverty, dirt and diseases and the respect of exquisitely rich and varied architecture and wish to find ecological niches can be explained by aver- gardens. Their residents cultivated a kind of utopian sion to technical discoveries and to industrialization of form of existence, based on social and cultural practices, the world. Regardless of the patterns suggested by on staging their own lives, on imaginary, happy, and Howard in his Garden Cities of Tomorrow, it is Adolf reasonable life in safety, health, and social harmony sur- Damaschke and Theodor Fritsch who