Fritz Metzger

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St. Karl Church, Lucerne (1932-1934)
St. Gallus Church, Oberuzwil (1934-1935)
Church of St. Felix and Regula, Zurich-Hard (1949–1950)
St. Johannes Church, Wängi TG (1957–1958)
Maria Krönung Church, Gossau ZH (1958–1959)
St. Mauritius Church, Oberengstringen (1962–1963)

Fritz Metzger (born July 3, 1898 in Winterthur ; † August 13, 1973 in Zurich ) was a Swiss architect. He is one of the most important representatives of Swiss Catholic church architecture between 1928 and 1968.

life and work

Metzger studied at the ETH Zurich with Karl Moser , whose church St. Antonius in Basel set standards for modern Swiss church construction. In 1932, after a national architecture competition, Fritz Metzger was awarded the contract to build the Church of St. Karl in Lucerne . He realized this church in the style of New Building , which at that time was branded as degenerate and Bolshevik, just like expressionist painting . The construction of this church is considered to be the first actually modern church building in Switzerland and a key work of the New Building, as on the one hand the building material concrete is used consistently for the church and subordinated to the new aesthetic. In addition, this church is the first in Switzerland to include in its spatial concept the demands of the liturgical movement for the faithful to actively participate in the worship service. The St. Theresia Church in Zurich-Friesenberg is seen as another exemplary example of New Building. The floor plan of this church with only one aisle is designed asymmetrically and the small windows that are attached to the side walls of the church prevent the view outside. The construction of the church thus focuses the view of the worshiper on the liturgical event .

During the Second World War, Fritz Metzger moved away from the concept of the longitudinal church . The two churches of St. Felix and Regula, Zurich-Hard and St. Franziskus, Riehen , built at the same time between 1949 and 1950, gave Europe-wide impetus for addressing the question of a liturgy-compatible construction. Fritz Metzger tried to give more expression to the active participation of the faithful in the liturgical process with new floor plans (the church of St. Franziskus, Riehen is in the shape of a trapezoid , the church of St. Felix and Regula in the shape of a transverse oval ). In this way, Fritz Metzger implemented a central demand of the liturgical movement of the 1930s; At the same time, Metzger anticipated an essential element of the liturgy constitution of the Second Vatican Council , which in the 1960s laid down this requirement for the Catholic liturgy worldwide. Subsequent generations of architects took up Fritz Metzger's intention in the second half of the 20th century and developed it further.

Fritz Metzger wrote about his sacred buildings: "We have to penetrate our thinking with a sense of community, with an interest in others, with an interest in the church. We want to participate more and more consciously in the worship service and become more and more community. That should be part of religious life Giving lasting and deeply communal note. The old times and the old church often meant separation, separation. The new church and the new time demand bonding, cohesion, community. Our religion is the religion of community. According to this, the world will one day be judged. Who Community lives is saved; whoever lives it badly is lost. "

Buildings (selection)

literature

  • Swiss St. Luke Society (Ed.): Church buildings by Hermann Baur and Fritz Metzger. NZN publishing house. Zurich 1956
  • Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic church building of the 20th century in Switzerland. Lucerne 1994.
  • Fabrizio Brentini: Rudolf Schwarz and his influence on church architecture in Switzerland. In: Rudolf Schwarz (1897–1961). Work, theory, reception. Linz 1997, pp. 58-78.
  • André Rogger: Everything is all over again. Fritz Metzger's St. Karli Church in Lucerne. Reprint from: Yearbook of the Historical Society Lucerne. Vol. 14, pp. 2-51. Lucerne 1996.
  • Markus Weber, Stephan Kölliker: Sacred Zurich. 150 years of Catholic church building in the canton of Zurich. Ruswil 2018

Web links

Commons : Fritz Metzger  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Fabrizio Brentini: Rudolf Schwarz and his influence on church architecture in Switzerland. P. 1.
  2. ^ A b Fabrizio Brentini: Rudolf Schwarz and his influence on church architecture in Switzerland. P. 4.
  3. ^ Heinz Horat: Church building. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . May 3, 2017 , Retrieved June 14, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Fabrizio Brentini: Rudolf Schwarz and his influence on church architecture in Switzerland. P. 2.
  5. ↑ Fabrizio Brentini: Rudolf Schwarz and his influence on church architecture in Switzerland. Pp. 4-5.
  6. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic church building of the 20th century in Switzerland. Lucerne 1994.
  7. ^ Fritz Metzger on the inauguration of the church in Oberkirch LU, quoted from: Website of the Oberkirch parish, section buildings. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
personal data
SURNAME Metzger, Fritz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss architect
DATE OF BIRTH July 3, 1898
PLACE OF BIRTH Winterthur
DATE OF DEATH 13th August 1973
Place of death Zurich