Preserving its unique position as the Capital of German Art.Identity constructions and transformation processes in Munich's cultural policy using the example of the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus Munich from 1925 to 1958

• Applicant: Dr. Anke Gröner
• Subject Area: Art History
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 552382315

From the 19th century onward, Munich has been considered a city of art, an "Isar-Athens". During the period of National Socialism, the city was bestowed the "honorary title" of "The Capital of German Art". After 1945, the Allies used art as an integral part of the so-called "re-education" to create a new, democratic "cultural capital of southern Germany". For the 800th town anniversary in 1958, Munich once again presented itself as a city of art. This project interrogates whether these transformation processes, which also took place in other German cities, from an evolved to an intentional and finally to a yet-to-be-defined identity, can be seen in the collections of the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus which was founded in 1925 as one of the few municipal museums during the Weimar Republic. The project examines these holdings, in particular the large number of acquisitions during the Nazi era, with a focus on the city's cultural policy, which impacted the entire country, especially during the "Third Reich". This project will not only examine the pictorial works, but will particularly evaluate all the written municipal and museum sources pertaining to these works. Acquisitions and removals will thus be placed in a cultural and socio-political context, therefore tracing social history through three different, and distinct, political systems and eras. This study will thus create a foundation for further analyses in other German cities, especially in regard to their roles as cities of culture or bearers of particular urban or social identities.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Karin Althaus; Professor Dr. Christian Fuhrmeister