Alfred Zappe

Alfred Zappe (born March 17, 1883 near Breslau ; † July 13, 1973 in Hanover ) was a German architect and heraldist .

Life

Alfred Zappe was born as the son of a master gardener near Breslau, from where he came to study in Hanover in 1905 and later, after entering into municipal services, stayed for the rest of his life. As an architect, he led the reconstruction of the Michaeliskirche in Hildesheim . He later looked after the opera house in Hanover and directed its reconstruction after 1945. In retirement, he endeavored to give the half-timbered buildings in the city center their familiar face and, above all, the destroyed old town.

Alfred Zappe paid special attention to the coat of arms . Heraldry had already inspired him as a schoolboy. Hardly in Hanover, he was already a member of the heraldic association "Zum Kleeblatt" and got to know some of the founding members personally. Alfred Zappe remained a committed member of the Heraldic Association in Hanover for almost 70 years. His influence on club life in the years after 1918 and 1945 was profitable. As a member of the board of directors, he made great contributions to the rebuilding of the library. In 1960 he was made an honorary member.

Alfred Zappe published some essential works on the coat of arms in old age. In the “Handbook of Heraldry - Wappenfibel”, founded by Adolf Matthias Hildebrandt , he was included in the list of the most important authors of heraldic literature and heraldic artists.

Until shortly before his death at the age of 91, Alfred Zappe remained mentally very active and took part in the events in the heraldry and the Heraldic Association in Hanover. When he died on July 13, 1973, the Hanoverian Fencing Club put an honor guard on the coffin for its honorary president. Together with a large mourning community, numerous heraldists from Germany said goodbye to Alfred Zappe.

Quote from Alfred Zappe, 1967: “Heraldry has been called the 'flowerbed of history'. To keep the flowerbed fresh, so that it can be cared for and kept free of weeds, some basic horticultural knowledge is required. "

Fonts

• Coat of arms - attempt of a common coat of arms theory. 2nd Edition. Starcke, Limburg / Lahn 1967.
• Heraldry floor plan. Starcke, Limburg / Lahn 1968.

literature

• Alfred Zappe. Architect for buildings in Hanover and Hildesheim , in his homeland. Journal for local history, nature conservation, cultural care. With constant reports and pictures from the Historisches Museum am Hohen Ufer Hannover . Published by Heimatbund Niedersachsen e. V., Hannover, Heft 5, 1973, p. 159
• Dieter Müller-Bruns: Heraldist panel: Alfred Zappe. In: Kleeblatt, magazine for heraldry and allied sciences , year 2001, no. 3, p. 32.

Web links

• Literature by and about Alfred Zappe in the catalog of the German National Library
• Heraldic Association "Zum Kleeblatt" from 1888 in Hanover
• Heraldry in Lower Saxony
• Herold Association in Berlin