Jewish Paths into Architecture. German-Jewish Architects in the First Half of the 20th Century

• Applicant: Dr. Andreas Brämer
• Subject Area: Architecture, Building and Construction History, Construction Research, Sustainable Building Technology ; Modern and Contemporary History ; Religious Studies and Jewish Studies
• Term: from 2016 to 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 321062067

• Final Report Year: 2024

Final Report Abstract

The project researched the paths taken by Jews into the professional field of architecture in the German Reich – from internships to universities and architectural firms. The focus was primarily on those architects who worked in the first decades of the 20th century or who completed their training in the final years of the German Empire and were still able to take their first professional steps in the German Reich. They were of outstanding importance for the development of architecture in the 20th century. Various approaches to the professional field were examined, including building trade schools, technical colleges, and art colleges. The first networks were already formed at the educational institutions and included both, teachers and fellow students. Some connections break off, and others can be traced over many years. Micro-studies for individual universities look closer at the Jewish students, their teachers, subjects taken, changes of study, etc. A systematic review of matriculation registers revealed numerous Jewish architects who were previously unknown to research. In addition, through genealogical research, the whereabouts of numerous architects could be clarified – a large number managed to escape Nazi Germany. A particular focus was on investigating the paths taken by Jewish architects into voluntary and, from 1933 at the latest, forced emigration. Here, questions about the choice of countries of refuge and how the networks could help to escape played a significant role. The study also examined how professional careers continued in emigration (or new ones embarked upon), who supported them, and how. In some cases, these German networks could even relocate to emigration and continue to function. Network nodes of Jewish architects can be universities, architectural offices, associations, but also construction projects, or even individual persons (e. g., professors). They are now visible through an extensive database with entries on almost 4,000 persons. The database contains biographical data, working places, lists of projects as well as contacts of 1,199 male architects and 73 female Jewish architects, as well as 296 Jewish civil engineers and 2,274 other people (including non-Jewish architects, artists, clients, building contractors, relatives, and acquaintances). It also includes 5,355 buildings in which Jewish architects were involved. For the first time, it is now possible to show how closely Jewish architects networked in the general architectural scene, but also how extensive the parallel Jewish network was, which became increasingly important with the Nazi Party's seizure of power and, for quite a few, even essential for survival.

Publications

• „Architekt, Fotograf und Kosmopolit: Zdenko von Strizic und das Institutsgebäude für Stahlbau und Statik“, in: ACHTUNG modern! Architektur zwischen 1960 und 1980, hrsg. v. Ulrich Knufinke und Norbert H. Funke, Petersberg 2017, S. 148–153
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• „Erich Mendelsohns Projekte im Rheinland“, in: Josef Rings und Erich Mendelsohn: Neues Bauen in Deutschland und Palästina-Erez Israel, hrsg. v. Micha Gross und Ines Sonder, Tel Aviv 2018, S. 128–131, (Englisch S. 136–140)
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• „Jüdische Wege in die Architektur“, im Rahmen der Tagung „Myra Warhaftig – Architektin und Bauforscherin. Wissenschaftliches Symposium in Erinnerung an die Architektin und Bauforscherin Myra Warhaftig (1930-2008)“, 17.–18. Mai 2018 in Berlin, Technische Universität
  Katrin Keßler & Ulrich Knufinke
  
• “A melting pot of Modernity: The International Style in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem before the founding of Israel”, in: More than Bauhaus: The White City Tel Aviv, hg v. Universität Mainz, Regina Stephan, Mainz 2019, S. 52–61
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• “Modernity in a time capsule: an apartment in the Kiryati House in Tel Aviv”, in: More than Bauhaus: The White City Tel Aviv, hg v. Universität Mainz, Regina Stephan, Mainz 2019, S. 86–89
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• “The eternal youth of modernism. Aspects of cultural heritage conservation in Tel Aviv-Yafo”, in: More than Bauhaus: The White City Tel Aviv, hrg v. Universität Mainz, Regina Stephan, Mainz 2019, S. 128–131
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• “The Kiryati House and its architect Shmuel Mestechkin”, in: More than Bauhaus: The White City Tel Aviv, hg v. Universität Mainz, Regina Stephan, Mainz 2019, S. 79–85
  Katrin Keßler & Vladimir Levin
  
• „Ausbildungs- und Karrierewege jüdischer Architekten in der Weimarer Republik und in der Emigration: Überlegungen zu einem offenen Feld“, in: Vermittlungswege der Moderne – Neues Bauen in Palastina (1923–1948), hrsg. v. Jörg Stabenow, und Ronny Schüler, Berlin 2019, S. 117–126
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• „Wilhelm Ze’ev Haller – ein jüdischer Architekt in Deutschland und Palastina. In: Wilhelm Ze’ev Haller. Modern Architecture, hrsg. v. Wolfgang Hocquel u.a., Leipzig/Tel Aviv 2019, S. 14–57
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• „Der Hamburger Israelitische Tempel und seine Architektur“, in: Der Israelitische Tempel in Hamburg (= Archiv aus Stein, Bd. 7), Oktober 2020, S. 25–42
  Ulrich Knufinke & Mirko Przystawik
  
• „Jüdische Wege in die Architektur“, in: Myra Warhaftig – Architektin und Bauforscherin. Wissenschaftliches Symposium in Erinnerung an die Architektin und Bauforscherin Myra Warhaftig (1930-2008), 17.-18. Mai 2018 in Berlin, hrsg. v. Günter Schlusche, Ines Sonder und Sarah Gretsch, Berlin 2020, S. 87–95
  Katrin Keßler & Ulrich Knufinke
  
• Jewish Architects – Jewish Architecture? (= Schriftenreihe der Bet Tfila – Forschungsstelle, Bd. 12) Petersberg 2021, ISBN 978-3-7319-1161-6
  Andreas Brämer, Katrin Keßler, Ulrich Knufinke & Mirko Przystawik
  
• Jewish Architects – Jewish Architecture? (= Schriftenreihe der Bet Tfila – Forschungsstelle, Bd. 12), Petersberg 2021 ISBN 978-3-7319-1161-6
  Andreas Brämer, Katrin Keßler, Ulrich Knufinke & Mirko Przystawik
  
• Jewish Architects – Jewish Architecture? Biographical Studies and Architectural History as an Interdisciplinary and International Field of Research”, S. 11–20 In: Jewish Architects – Jewish Architecture? Petersberg 2021
  Ulrich Knufinke
  
• „Altenheime, Schulen, Friedhöfe – Jüdisches Bauen jenseits von Synagogen.“, Vortragsreihe des IGdJ „Jüdisches Bauen II“, 26. Mai 2021
  Katrin Keßler & Alexandra Klei
  
• „Die Bornplatzsynagoge und ihr jüdischer Architekt Semmy Engel“, Vortragsreihe des IGdJ „Jüdisches Bauen II“, 8. Juni 2021
  Mirko Przystawik
  
• „Jewish Architects and Their Networks. The Example of the Zionist Architect Richard Michel”, S. 61–68 In: Jewish Architects – Jewish Architecture? Petersberg 2021
  Katrin Keßler
  
• „Jewish Architects and Their Networks. The Example of the Zionist Architect Richard Michel”, S. 61–68 In: Jewish Architects – Jewish Architecture? Petersberg 2021
  Katrin Keßler
  
• „Jüdische Wege in die Architektur. Die Eroberung eines „neuen“ Berufsfeldes“, in: Jüdische Geschichte und Gegenwart in Deutschland. Aktuelle Fragen und Positionen, hrsg. v. MiQua, Köln 2021, S. 120–131
  Katrin Keßler
  
• „Jüdische Wege in die Architektur. Die Eroberung eines „neuen“ Berufsfeldes“, Vortrag im Rahmen der Online-Tagung „Jüdische Geschichte und Gegenwart in Deutschland. Aktuelle Fragen und Positionen", MiQua Köln, 12.–13. April 2021
  Katrin Keßler
  
• „Careers of Jewish Women in Design and Architecture in Germany in the First Half of the 20th Century“. Konferenz der European Association for Jewish Studies, Frankfurt, 17. Juli 2023
  Katrin Keßler & Ulrich Knufinke
  
• „Networks of Jewish Architects in the First Half of the Twentieth Century in Germany”. Konferenz der European Association for Jewish Studies, Frankfurt, 17. Juli 2023„Networks of Jewish Architects in the First Half of the Twentieth Century in Germany”. Konferenz der European Association for Jewish Studies, Frankfurt, 17. Juli 2023
  Mirko Przystawik
  
• „Semmy Engel, Ernst Friedheim und die Bornplatzsynagoge in Hamburg“, in: Die Große Synagoge am Bornplatz in Hamburg. Beiträge zu Geschichte, Gegenwart und Zukunft des Areals als jüdisches Kulturerbe, hrsg. v. Andreas Brämer und Ulrike Fauerbach, Petersberg 2023, S. 10–20
  Mirko Przystawik
  
• Die Große Synagoge am Bornplatz in Hamburg. Beiträge zu Geschichte, Gegenwart und Zukunft des Areals als jüdisches Kulturerbe (Kleine Schriften der Bet Tfila – Forschungsstelle für jüdische Architektur in Europa, Bd. 5), Petersberg 2024 ISBN 978-3-7319-1351-1
  Andreas Brämer & Ulrike Fauerbach