Bauhaus Dessau and the Movement of Modernism in Saxony-Anhalt 31
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1 BAUHAUS DESSAU AND THE MOVEMENT OF MODERNISM IN SAXONY-ANHALT 31 Bauhaus building in Dessau, Walter Gropius (1925–26), Glass façade | Tadashi Okochi © Pen Magazine, 2010, Bauhaus Dessau Foundation Dessau-Roßlau 10 Magdeburg 22 Halle (Saale) 32 Lutherstadt Wittenberg 38 Elbingerode 42 Zickzackhausen & more 46 2 GREETING 1 Welcome to the land of the modern era DEAR READERS, axony-Anhalt is a province boasting top-class culture. Two key anniversaries of global importance are testament to this: in 2017, Saxony-Anhalt was at the heart of the 500 th anniversary celebra- tions of the Reformation, and 2019 will mark the 100th anniversary Sof the Bauhaus, which was founded in Weimar and experienced its golden pe- riod in Dessau. Like the Luther sites, the Bauhaus Dessau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In its anniversary year, we wish to showcase Saxony-Anhalt as a province of the modern era. In 2016, the exhibition “Große Pläne! Die Angewandte Mo- derne in Sachsen-Anhalt 1919–1933” (“Great plans! Applied modernism in Saxony-Anhalt 1919–1933”), which was held throughout the province, clearly demonstrated that our entire province experienced a marvellous spirit of optimism during that period. Entrepreneurs, engi - neers, artists and politicians wanted to turn the region into a modern place to live and work. The modernist architecture is not only found in Dessau but also in several residential areas in Magdeburg. We are well prepared for the anniversary year. Alongside Thuringia and Berlin which also enjoy close links with the history of the Bauhaus, Saxony-Anhalt will hold prime responsibili- ty for the celebrations. Besides the federal government, several provinces are also members of the Bauhaus Association 2019, which was founded on the initiative of Saxony-Anhalt. This powerful association is best placed to succeed in creating international awareness for the Discover Saxony-Anhalt – the federal state Bauhaus and modernism in view of the anniversary year. which is home to more authentic Bauhaus Friends of the Bauhaus, hailing from both Germany and abroad, can look forward to a buildings than any other, and in which the high-quality programme of events in Saxony-Anhalt. The Bauhaus Dessau Foundation will Bauhaus – as the icon of modernity – was at its naturally be at the heart of a programme networked across the province. The new Bauhaus Museum will provide a modern infrastructure for the presentation of the Bauhaus heritage. most industrious. Experience places such as I can promise you an architectural gem that is bound to become a symbol of Dessau-Roßlau. the Bauhaus Dessau with its Masters’ Houses, This brochure includes comprehensive background information on the Bauhaus anniversary. the works of Lyonel Feininger in Halle (Saale) It is a treasure trove for Bauhaus fans and anyone with an interest in it. Whet your appetite and the colourful city of Magdeburg. for a visit to us. You will be most welcome in Saxony-Anhalt! Yours, Dr Reiner Haseloff Minister President 2 100 YEARS OF BAUHAUS 3 A couple of questions about the Bauhaus anniversary: Which event are you Dr Perren, what is your Bauhaus students on the canteen terrace of the most looking forward to favourite piece in the | Bauhaus building in Dessau, 1931/1932 © Bauhaus during the anniversary collection of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation (I 19044 F), Photo: unknown year, Mr Robra? Dessau Foundation which will also be on display in the new Bauhaus Museum? The Bauhaus celebrates its The Bauhaus experienced its golden period One of my favourite pieces is the photo- th “ in Dessau. The collection of the Bauhaus “ graph “Hochhaus Friedrichstrasse”. I have Dessau Foundation, with its 44,000 cata- known about Mies van der Rohe’s pho- 100 anniversary together with logued pieces, is the second largest collection tograph since my student days; it made a deep in the world relating to the Bauhaus. It goes impression on me back then with its visionary partners all over the world without saying that I am particularly looking power. Mies van der Rohe makes Wilhelminian forward to the opening of the Bauhaus Museum. Berlin seem even gloomier than it already was, – Germany will ment to form the “Bauhaus Association 2019” in It will make the Bauhaus city of Dessau-Roßlau and with his vision of a new kind of architecture celebrate the order to celebrate the anniversary together. even more attractive, and finally provide the made entirely out of glass, he aspires to reach for 100th anniver- opportunity to properly present many previously the sky from the darkness with brilliance, vigour sivary of the Dessau is the city most closely associated with hidden treasures of the Bauhaus.” and simplicity. In doing so, he not only proclaims 201foundation of the Bauhaus9 together with partners the Bauhaus. This is where the school of design a new architectural language but also his social all over the world. Founded in Weimar in 1919, relo- was active for the longest period of time and attitude towards the modern movement. This cated to Dessau in 1925 and closed in Berlin in 1933, where it experienced its golden period between Rainer Robra photograph will certainly make its mark in the school of design only existed for a total of 14 1925 and 1932. All three directors of the Bauhaus, Head of the State Chancellery the collection at the new Bauhaus Museum in years. Despite this, the Bauhaus continues to have Walter Gropius, Hannes Meyer and Mies van der and Minister of Culture Dessau, which is due to open in 2019 for the an impact to this day. Rohe, lived and worked here. This period was also of the State of Saxony-Anhalt 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus.” the heyday for Bauhaus architecture, which is With the motto “Die Welt neu denken” (“Rethin- why most Bauhaus buildings are located in Des- king the world”), the three leading Bauhaus institu- sau-Roßlau. The Bauhaus building, the Masters’ Dr Claudia Perren tions in Berlin, Dessau and Weimar have teamed up Houses and the Laubenganghäuser (Houses with Chair and Director with eleven provinces as well as the federal govern- Balcony Access) are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Bauhaus Dessau Foundation 4 5 There will be a very special event in Dessau-Roßlau to mark the 100th anniversary: the opening of the Bau- haus Museum on 8 September 2019, which, for the first time, will provide a suitable space for an extensive public presentation of the valuable collection of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. www.bauhaus-dessau.de Design of the Bauhaus Museum Dessau, city park view | Photo: Gonzalez Hinz Zabala © 2015 6 Towards Hamburg NETWORK 7 MODERNIST BUILDINGS Following the footsteps of the movement of modernism IN SAXONY-ANHALT Nowhere else in Germany can you experience as much of the Bauhaus and modernism as you can in Saxony- Anhalt. The famous Bauhaus sites in Dessau-Roßlau STENDAL and other formative places of the modern era, such as | Secondary school in Magdeburg, Halle (Saale), Aschersleben and Sanger- hausen, invite you to learn about its history. Buildings from the age of classical modernism (1919–1933) reflect creative minds in architecture, technology and art who sought to make the dream of a better life a reality. Towards Hannover HALDENSLEBEN | AMEOS Klinikum (district hospital / former state sanatorium with housing estate) Towards Berlin MAGDEBURG | Municipal hall with Albinmüller tower and Pferdetor DESSAU-ROSSLAU (horse gate) | Hermann Beims housing estate | | Bauhaus building Otto Richter street | Rothensee boat lift | | Masters’ houses | Laubengang- Garden city colony in Reform | AOK Sachsen-Anhalt häuser (houses with balcony (health insurance agency) | Cracau housing estate | access) of Dessau-Törten | Hermann Gieseler hall | War monument Dessau-Törten housing estate | of Ernst Barlach in the cathedral to Magdeburg | Kornhaus | Steel house of LUTHERSTADT Second Memorial to freethinkers at Westfriedhof | Dessau-Törten | Konsum OLi-Kino (cinema) Building of Dessau-Törten WITTENBERG | Historical employment offi ce | Piesteritz factory SAXONY-ANHALT. THE BAUHAUS. | Sports and community settlement building “Kurt Elster” (SPUK). OUR SPIRIT. WERNIGERODE | Railway station and Westerntor vehicle workshop BERNBURG (SAALE) ASCHERSLEBEN | Zickzackhausen (zigzag houses) – ELBINGERODE | Filmpalast Anton-Saefkow-settlement | Deaconnesses’ Motherhouse (cinema complex) he Bauhaus was not a solitary move- “Neuvandsburg” “Saxony-Anhalt. The Bauhaus. Our spirit. BITTERFELD-WOLFEN ment, but rather part of a particular #moderndenken”, is the slogan used by Saxony- | town hall, former building 041 structural change in the region that Anhalt to mark the 100th anniversary of the Bau- HALLE (SAALE) (main building of the ORWO fi lm | Großgarage Süd (south car park) | factory in Wolfen) was typical of the time. The diverse haus. The province is thus taking up the network Giebichenstein bridge | Pfarrkirche Tconnections are particularly well demonstrated philosophy of the historic Bauhaus, focusing on “Zur Heiligsten Dreieinigkeit” (holy in today’s region of Saxony-Anhalt. Following the programmes in Dessau-Roßlau, Halle (Saale) trinity catholic parish church) | Wasserturm Süd (water tower) | First World War, there was a great spirit of opti- and Magdeburg, as well as supplementing the- SANGERHAUSEN Ratshof (city council building) | mism accompanied by a rapidly growing industry, se with other projects in different parts of the | Sangerhausen Volksbank Transformatorenstation Universi- MERSEBURG despite all the political and economic instability. province. This network also includes sites such as tätsring (substation) | Allgemeine | former residential building and health offi ce Ortskrankenkasse (AOK building / the garden city in Wittenberg-Piesteritz and the health insurance agency) A dynamic which catapulted the region into the po- Deaconnesses’ Motherhouse in Elbingerode, as litical, cultural and artistic modern era emerged and well as many other masterpieces of the modern BAD DÜRRENBERG | Laubenganghäuser (houses with thus set the scene for the Bauhaus’ decision to relo- era presented in this brochure. Guests can enjoy cate from Weimar to Dessau in the Anhalt region.