In the history of German architecture there is no avoiding this master builder. His most famous buildings, the Großes Schauspielhaus theater (1919) in Berlin and the headquarters of I.G. Farbenindustrie in Frankfurt / Main (1930), which in deference to him was known as the “Poelzig building” emanate a self-confident “will for expression”. And yet he could be clearly attributed neither to the conservative wing, nor radical Modernity - he regarded himself as “somewhere in between.” Hans Poelzig was a temperamental drawer and painter, with a passionate interest in theater and film. His sets for “Der Golem - Wie er in die Welt kam” (1920) went down in film history. He also emphatically represented the artistic character of architecture; as a “symbolic shape” it was meant to triumph over all functional, social and even political conditions. His pupil Rudolf Schwarz once wrote that “Poelzig dreamt a dream in which architecture was a free art form and architects as their own master.” His students loved him and he was regarded as a highly gifted teacher. The exhibition, which was produced by the Akademie der Künste in Berlin presents showcases models, original drawings and sketches, as well as film excerpts and less well-known oli paintings by Poelzig. The exhibition will be accompanied by a program of events.

Accompanying Program
8 March 2008
15:00: "Mein Lieblingsbau"
Guided tour former I.G. Farben administration building with Prof. Christoph Mäckler

4 March 2008
18:00: Zur Chronik von Grieshuus (1923 / 24)

9 March 2008
11:00: Der Golem wie er in die Welt kam (D, approx. 1920)

(Silent movies with film architecture as part of the series "Klassiker und Raritäten" at Deutsches Filmmuseum, with an introduction by Dr. Claudia Dillmann)

11 - 13 April 2008
18:30: Public conference "Bauen als symbolische Form. Zum Werk von Hans Poelzig"

26 April 2008
20:00 - 23:00: "Night of Museums"

(Silent movie screening with piano accompaniment "Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam"(D, um 1920). Piano: Carsten-Stephan Graf von Bothmer, Berlin)