Gustav Adolf Uthmann

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Gustav Adolf Uthmann (born June 29, 1867 in Barmen ; † June 22, 1920 there ) was a German composer and choir director .

Life

Gustav-Adolf-Uthmann monument in the north park in Barmen

Gustav Adolf Uthmann initially wanted to become a teacher. Since his father died early and he had to look after his blind mother and younger siblings, he began an apprenticeship as a dyer . He got to know representatives of the labor movement and joined them. He played the trombone with talent and, thanks to sponsors, received lessons in violin , piano and - with Georg Rauchenecker - composition .

In addition to his work as a musician, Uthmann always had another main job. When he could no longer work as a dyer because of an eye disease, he worked for the general local health insurance fund . There he became the main cashier and most recently deputy managing director. He worked as a choirmaster of nine choirs in Wuppertal , including from 1891 for the Arbeitergesangverein Freier Sängerkreis . Uthmann composed over 400 songs for workers , struggles and peace. His best-known works include Weltfriede , Die Freiheit mein Lied , Empor zum Licht and Tord Foleson , from which a much quoted passage comes: “The banner can stand when the man falls.” At the request of the federal executive of the workers singers he created 1906 a male choir arrangement of the International .

Gustav Adolf Uthmann died at the age of 52 as a result of blood poisoning . He was buried in a grave of honor in the Bartholomäusstrasse cemetery in Barmen.

Uthmann is considered to be the best known and most valued artist in the German working-class singer movement by his contemporaries. Streets in several cities were named after him, including Berlin , Dresden and Vienna . On the tenth anniversary of his death, the German Workers' Singers Association had a Gustav Adolf Uthmann monument over six meters high erected in the north park in Barmen.

literature

  • Michael Harzen: Uthmann, Gustav Adolf . In: Bergische Blätter . 5th year, no. 6 , 1982, pp. 18 .

Web links

Commons : Gustav Adolf Uthmann  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Jan Niko Kirschbaum: Gustav-Adolf-Uthmann-Monument. In: denkmal-wuppertal.de. February 17, 2013, accessed March 2, 2020 .
  2. ↑ a b Gustav Adolf Uthmann. In: dasrotewien.at - Web dictionary of the Viennese social democracy. SPÖ Vienna (Ed.)
  3. ^ Wolfgang Stock: Wuppertal graves. Historical walk through all of the city's cemeteries (=  contributions to the history and local history of the Wuppertal . No. 41 ). Thales, Essen 2007, ISBN 978-3-88908-482-8 , p. 371-372 .
  4. ^ The tin drum from Rixdorf. In: Berliner Morgenpost . April 12, 2011, accessed March 2, 2020 .
  5. ↑ Uthmannstrasse. In: Dresden districts. Lars Herrmann, accessed on March 2, 2020 .
  6. ↑ Felix Czeike (Ed.): Adolf-Uthmann-Gasse. In:  Historisches Lexikon Wien . Volume 1, Kremayr & Scheriau, Vienna 1992, ISBN 3-218-00543-4 , pp. 22-22 ( digitized version ).
personal data
SURNAME Uthmann, Gustav Adolf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German composer and choir director
DATE OF BIRTH June 29, 1867
PLACE OF BIRTH Barmen
DATE OF DEATH June 22, 1920
Place of death Barmen