Martin Elsaesser
*28. 5. 1884 – Tübingen, Germany
†5. 8. 1957 – Stuttgart, Germany
Herxheimerstr. 31, D-60326 Frankfurt am Main
+49 069 973 933 26
[email protected]
www.martin-elsaesser.de
+49 069 973 933 26
[email protected]
www.martin-elsaesser.de
Biography
Martin Wilhelm Elsaesser (Elsäßer) was a German architect and university educator. His father was the Protestant theologian and pastor Karl August Elsaesser.
He began studying architecture in 1902 at the Technical University of Munich under Friedrich Thiersch and subsequently transferred to the Technical University of Stuttgart, where he graduated in 1906 under Theodor Fischer. From 1906, he served as an advisor for the Association for Christian Art at the Evangelical Church in Württemberg, where he participated in the realization of approximately 40 church projects. Initially, he worked as an assistant to Paul Bonatz at the Stuttgart Technical School and was later appointed professor of the history of medieval architecture (1912-20) at the age of 29. In 1915, he was injured as a volunteer in World War I. In 1916, he participated as a member of the German Werkbund in the competition for the “House of Friendship” in Turkish Constantinople. In 1919, he was temporarily chair of the Association of German Architects (BDA). From 1920 to 1925, he served as director of the School of Applied Arts in Cologne.
In 1925, he was appointed head of the building department in Frankfurt am Main by Ernst May, the newly appointed city building councilor, where he was involved in the New Frankfurt project, remaining in this position until 1932.
He then worked as a self-employed architect in Munich (1933-37) and later in Berlin (1937-45). Although he did not receive any commissions in Nazi Germany at the time, he completed several projects in Turkey from Munich. He spent the period of World War II in "inner emigration," traveling and designing utopian projects. Evidence of this includes the plans for Bruckner's Symphony Hall in Linz, Austria, which he designed during the period (1943-44) and which is in stark contrast to the contemporary Nazi buildings.
After World War II, he returned to Stuttgart and then taught at the Technical University of Munich as a temporary representative of a full professor of architectural design from 1948 to 1955. The Bavarian Ministry of Finance opposed Elsaesser's appointment as a full professor due to his age. Only after a long struggle with the Bavarian state did Elsaesser manage to obtain at least a claim to a minimum pension for his pedagogical work.
Martin Wilhelm Elsaesser (Elsäßer) was a German architect and university educator. His father was the Protestant theologian and pastor Karl August Elsaesser.
He began studying architecture in 1902 at the Technical University of Munich under Friedrich Thiersch and subsequently transferred to the Technical University of Stuttgart, where he graduated in 1906 under Theodor Fischer. From 1906, he served as an advisor for the Association for Christian Art at the Evangelical Church in Württemberg, where he participated in the realization of approximately 40 church projects. Initially, he worked as an assistant to Paul Bonatz at the Stuttgart Technical School and was later appointed professor of the history of medieval architecture (1912-20) at the age of 29. In 1915, he was injured as a volunteer in World War I. In 1916, he participated as a member of the German Werkbund in the competition for the “House of Friendship” in Turkish Constantinople. In 1919, he was temporarily chair of the Association of German Architects (BDA). From 1920 to 1925, he served as director of the School of Applied Arts in Cologne.
In 1925, he was appointed head of the building department in Frankfurt am Main by Ernst May, the newly appointed city building councilor, where he was involved in the New Frankfurt project, remaining in this position until 1932.
He then worked as a self-employed architect in Munich (1933-37) and later in Berlin (1937-45). Although he did not receive any commissions in Nazi Germany at the time, he completed several projects in Turkey from Munich. He spent the period of World War II in "inner emigration," traveling and designing utopian projects. Evidence of this includes the plans for Bruckner's Symphony Hall in Linz, Austria, which he designed during the period (1943-44) and which is in stark contrast to the contemporary Nazi buildings.
After World War II, he returned to Stuttgart and then taught at the Technical University of Munich as a temporary representative of a full professor of architectural design from 1948 to 1955. The Bavarian Ministry of Finance opposed Elsaesser's appointment as a full professor due to his age. Only after a long struggle with the Bavarian state did Elsaesser manage to obtain at least a claim to a minimum pension for his pedagogical work.
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