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A renaissance for Bauhaus as Germany grapples with its past A renaissance for Bauhaus as Germany grapples with its past
(about 3 hours later)
The most striking Bauhaus designs, such as Marcel Breuer's tubular steel chair or the Wagenfeld table lamp, have been endlessly copied and mass produced.The most striking Bauhaus designs, such as Marcel Breuer's tubular steel chair or the Wagenfeld table lamp, have been endlessly copied and mass produced.
But the architecture of the design school has left a more complicated legacy in Germany.But the architecture of the design school has left a more complicated legacy in Germany.
As Joachim Gauck, Germany's president, reopens two of the art school's most significant houses on Friday, almost 70 years after they were bombed, the move is sure to reignite the old debate about what to do with historic buildings damaged during the second world war.As Joachim Gauck, Germany's president, reopens two of the art school's most significant houses on Friday, almost 70 years after they were bombed, the move is sure to reignite the old debate about what to do with historic buildings damaged during the second world war.
"For us, the question was: do we try to mark this dark chapter in European modernity, or do we pretend it never happened? Or do we try and find a third way?" said Philipp Oswalt, the director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation."For us, the question was: do we try to mark this dark chapter in European modernity, or do we pretend it never happened? Or do we try and find a third way?" said Philipp Oswalt, the director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation.
Founded in Weimar in 1919 but forced out when the Nazis won the local elections, the Bauhaus relocated to Dessau in Saxony-Anhalt in 1925.Founded in Weimar in 1919 but forced out when the Nazis won the local elections, the Bauhaus relocated to Dessau in Saxony-Anhalt in 1925.
It was here that director Walter Gropius built the Bauhaus where students were taught, as well as a row of private homes for the school's lecturers, known as the meisterhäuser or master homes, a colony for avant garde artists, the closest Gropius came to realising his ideal of domestic living.It was here that director Walter Gropius built the Bauhaus where students were taught, as well as a row of private homes for the school's lecturers, known as the meisterhäuser or master homes, a colony for avant garde artists, the closest Gropius came to realising his ideal of domestic living.
But since Dessau also became one of the key hubs of the German arms industry during the war – where factories produced Zyklon B poison gas and the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka bomber – it was a key target for the British and American bombing campaign.But since Dessau also became one of the key hubs of the German arms industry during the war – where factories produced Zyklon B poison gas and the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka bomber – it was a key target for the British and American bombing campaign.
On 7 March 1945 a British aerial mine exploded halfway between Gropius's own home and that of the Hungarian artist László Moholy-Nagy, causing the structures to collapse.On 7 March 1945 a British aerial mine exploded halfway between Gropius's own home and that of the Hungarian artist László Moholy-Nagy, causing the structures to collapse.
Both artists were unaffected though, as they had fled to England and the US when the Nazis gained power.Both artists were unaffected though, as they had fled to England and the US when the Nazis gained power.
As the stock of the Bauhaus design philosophy rose in the postwar period, Germany remained unsure what to do with the bombed-out master houses.As the stock of the Bauhaus design philosophy rose in the postwar period, Germany remained unsure what to do with the bombed-out master houses.
A private home was erected at the site, but as East Germany's planning commission decreed that new houses had to have pitched roofs, it bore little resemblance to the artists' vision.A private home was erected at the site, but as East Germany's planning commission decreed that new houses had to have pitched roofs, it bore little resemblance to the artists' vision.
The ruins of Moholy-Nagy's house left a quandary. In keeping with the treatment of other historic bombed buildings in Germany – most notably Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church – ruins, the thinking went for a long time, were to serve as memorials to the horror of war.The ruins of Moholy-Nagy's house left a quandary. In keeping with the treatment of other historic bombed buildings in Germany – most notably Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church – ruins, the thinking went for a long time, were to serve as memorials to the horror of war.
But over the last 20 years a more controversial approach has become dominant in Germany, with some buildings such as Dresden's Frauenkirche and the Adlon hotel next to the Berlin Reichstag, restored to perfection, as if history had never reaped havoc on them. But over the last 20 years a more controversial approach has become dominant in Germany, with some buildings such as Dresden's Frauenkirche and the Adlon hotel next to the Berlin Reichstag, restored to perfection, as if history had never wreaked havoc on them.
The restored master houses in Dessau, now a designated Unesco world heritage site, attempt to establish a new approach: neither a complete reconstruction nor "a didactic recreation of pain", as the curator, Ulrike Wendland, put it, but an artistic interpretation of the Bauhaus directors' original ideas.The restored master houses in Dessau, now a designated Unesco world heritage site, attempt to establish a new approach: neither a complete reconstruction nor "a didactic recreation of pain", as the curator, Ulrike Wendland, put it, but an artistic interpretation of the Bauhaus directors' original ideas.
The minimalist design has been stripped back even further, and the trademark horizontal windows are covered with a cloudy wash, lending a ghostly air to the building's appearance.The minimalist design has been stripped back even further, and the trademark horizontal windows are covered with a cloudy wash, lending a ghostly air to the building's appearance.
"Memory lives off blurriness and imprecision," said José Gutierrez Marquez, one of the three architects who created the building."Memory lives off blurriness and imprecision," said José Gutierrez Marquez, one of the three architects who created the building.
"We wanted to create something playful and light, nothing too heavy: an innocent glance at Germany's painful past.""We wanted to create something playful and light, nothing too heavy: an innocent glance at Germany's painful past."
Like his Italian architect colleagues, Gutierrez Marquez was educated in Germany but born abroad, in his case in Argentina.Like his Italian architect colleagues, Gutierrez Marquez was educated in Germany but born abroad, in his case in Argentina.
Working as a consultant for the project was British architect David Chipperfield, who has designed a number of landmark buildings in Germany.Working as a consultant for the project was British architect David Chipperfield, who has designed a number of landmark buildings in Germany.
In Dessau, the new houses have won over the art critics, but not all of the local residents.In Dessau, the new houses have won over the art critics, but not all of the local residents.
The newly erected building complex also includes a wall that surrounds the green space in front of the building – never a popular structure in East Germany, particularly not 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.The newly erected building complex also includes a wall that surrounds the green space in front of the building – never a popular structure in East Germany, particularly not 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
"We don't need a wall," a resident told Mitteldeutsche Zeitung newspaper. "And since Walter Gropius doesn't live here any more, he doesn't need one either.""We don't need a wall," a resident told Mitteldeutsche Zeitung newspaper. "And since Walter Gropius doesn't live here any more, he doesn't need one either."