Hans Sachs House

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The Hans-Sachs-Haus in Gelsenkirchen was built between 1924 and 1927 by the Essen architect Alfred Fischer and is one of the city's landmarks. Originally the house was planned to be multifunctional (offices, hotel, catering, shops, concert hall, etc.); soon after its completion it became the central administrative seat of the city of Gelsenkirchen. It is located on Ebertstr. 11 in the city center, south of the music theater in the Revier .

It is one of the most important monuments of modernism (see. Eg. As " New Building ") in the Ruhr area and in Encyclopedia of world architecture listed. Stylistically, it can be assigned to brick expressionism . The name was given after an ideas competition in which all interested citizens could participate. The building, which the war was partially destroyed, rebuilt later and completed in the late 1950s, has a gross floor area of about 27,500 sqm with a gross volume of about 125,000 m³.

Hans Sachs House in 2014

particularities

The house, named after the Meistersinger Hans Sachs as part of a citizens' competition , originally housed a concert hall with the largest preserved late romantic concert organ in Europe, a Walcker organ with 92 stops . The organ, which is now a listed building, was sold to the St. Antonius Church in Papenburg in 2019 for a symbolic euro because there was no space for it in the new building .

The architect Alfred Fischer also designed the Volkshaus in Gelsenkirchen-Rotthausen and the administration building for the Ruhr Coal District Association, now RVR in Essen . Stylistically, the Hans-Sachs-Haus can be seen as a link between Expressionism and New Objectivity , as on the one hand it uses fired clinker, the characteristic material of Brick Expressionism , but its design language is closer to the Bauhaus or streamlined modernism . The idea for the distinctive rounded corners is said to have come to Fischer only during the construction phase. In the current RVR administration in Essen, which was subsequently implemented, he seamlessly continued the design line developed at the Hans-Sachs-Haus.

In the corridors of the Hans-Sachs-Haus there was presumably the world's first color coding system (design: Max Burchartz , professor of commercial graphics at the Folkwang School in Essen ), which led through the house with wall-sized color fields in primary colors. The craftsmanship was under the direction of Burchartz's student Anton Stankowski . The color coding system attributed to Bauhaus modernism was painted over in the post-war period and was forgotten. It was only rediscovered and partially restored in the 1990s. In the course of the failed renovation from 2001 onwards, the plaster was removed from the entire house, and all the remains of the color coding system were destroyed. The entire interior of the building was then torn down and replaced by a new building. This in turn received a color coding system based on the original from the 1920s.

Until 1984, one was in Hans Sachs House Paternoster elevator company Schindler operated.

During the bombing nights of the Second World War , many people found refuge in the cellars of the Hans-Sachs-Haus. In an air raid on March 19, 1945, 81 people were killed in the air raid shelter. Parts of the house were destroyed.

Younger story

Staircase in the Hans Sachs House, 1927

Renovation project

In 2001, the city of Gelsenkirchen decided to renovate the Hans-Sachs-Haus in accordance with a listed building . It was planned to restore the original appearance with a lettering along the entire length of the front, a large window gallery on the first floor, and a reconstruction of the surrounding canopy, which had been removed after the Second World War. Furthermore, the hall was to be returned to its original state and the suspended ceiling and other fixtures removed in the 1950s so that daylight could again enter the hall, as was originally intended in Fischer's design. The renovation costs were estimated at EUR 44 million.

Construction defects

Shortly after the renovation began , structural defects were encountered first in the hall and then in other parts of the building, especially in the so-called Wesseleck . An appraiser commissioned by the city justified this with errors that had already been made in the construction in the 1920s, in the renovation and expansion after the Second World War and in the extension at the end of the 1950s, and which had not been noticed for decades due to the limited construction maintenance.

The house was completely cleared after the event hall , which was designed for around 1500 people, had already been closed by the building authorities . Various reports on the structural condition of the building quantified the renovation costs, sometimes quite differently. The highest amount mentioned was 143 million euros. However, there were strong differences of opinion between experts and the company that looked after the Hans-Sachs-Haus about the costs actually to be expected in the event of a renovation.

controversy

Tower of the Hans Sachs House

The then Lord Mayor Oliver Wittke ( CDU , North Rhine-Westphalian building minister until February 2009) was committed to maintaining the building and concluded contracts in 2001 that were supposed to finance the renovation via a rental / lease-back model. This agreement, but also the restoration as a whole, were politically controversial from the start. Wittke's future successor Frank Baranowski ( SPD ) and parts of the city's specialist administration were rather critical of the project and its implementation in a PPP model. The topic was thus also the subject of the 2004 local election campaign ("Millions Grave Hans Sachs House" campaign).

Over time, the criticism of the concluded PPP contract increased. The critics argued that it was extremely unfavorable and financially lossy for the city. In addition, the city's lack of termination rights were discussed and it was argued that the executing companies had been guaranteed a high general contractor surcharge. In addition , representatives in the city council who are close to the Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany (MLPD) in particular advocate the thesis that not all decision-makers were aware of all the important contractual issues when the city administration took decisions. In this context, a series of political and legal disputes sparked between the city administration under the new SPD mayor and the representatives of the extreme left in Gelsenkirchen.

In September 2005 the council of the city of Gelsenkirchen decided to terminate the contract, since the renovation costs, which are now in the space, are no longer acceptable for the city. This threatened the demolition of the most important cultural monument in the city of Gelsenkirchen, along with the music theater in the Revier and the expressionist Holy Cross Church by Josef Franke . The question of the termination of the contract on the one hand and the demolition on the other hand were legally different procedural strands.

On December 15, 2005, the city council decided to demolish the house at the suggestion of Mayor Frank Baranowski. The agreement with the Westphalian Office for the Preservation of Monuments necessary for the implementation of this decision was granted in January 2006 by the then state curator Eberhard Grunsky. The reason given was the unreasonable financial burden for the city of Gelsenkirchen in the event of a renovation. Since then, this reason has often been questioned, as the Monument Protection Act only provides for “unreasonable burdens” in the case of private individuals, but not in the case of municipalities. Immediately thereafter, Grunsky retired as planned.

Initiative "Light in the darkness around the Hans-Sachs-Haus"

Illuminated windows of the southern stairwell in the dark (2015). You can see the restored color coding system according to floors.

In 2005, under the leadership of the left parliamentary groups in the Gelsenkirchen Council ( AUF , PDS , MLPD , WASG ) and other groups, an initiative was formed that demanded the clarification of the events surrounding the Hans-Sachs-Haus. They were concerned with the question of the legality of the concluded contracts and the clarification of the political scandal . Furthermore, more citizen participation and an architectural competition for the preservation of the house were called for. To this end, the initiative sought a referendum and on January 25, 2006 presented the city of Gelsenkirchen with signature lists with 10,010 names.

In August 2006 the book "Weltstar Hans-Sachs-Haus" was published in cooperation with the chairman of the German Werkbund NRW , Prof. Roland Günter .

Citizens' forum HSH

At the beginning of 2006, the Gelsenkirchen city ​​planner and building historian Dr. Lutz Heidemann, together with the architects Kai Kühmichel and Karin Powileit as well as Gelsenkirchen citizens, set up the citizens' forum Hans-Sachs-Haus. The group would like to set a moderate counterweight to the aggressive political approach to a citizens' initiative dominated by the MLPD and other representatives of the radical left and contribute to the discussion about the importance of the HSH in terms of cultural history.

The aim of the group is either to keep the building completely or at least to integrate the facade into a possible new building. To this end, a petition was drawn up to the building minister Oliver Wittke as well as to the petition committee of the state parliament, but the state did not comply. According to its own assessment, the work of the Citizens' Forum contributed to the fact that the city has turned away from the planned total demolition of the Hans-Sachs-Haus after the current state of discussion. The positions of the Citizens' Forum are also characterized by a fundamental criticism of building projects in models of private and public partnership (PPP models) that goes beyond the specific case of the Hans-Sachs-Haus.

2006

Hans-Sachs-Haus in 2005

After the complete demolition of the Hans-Sachs-Haus was meanwhile an option, in 2006 the city tended to replace the ailing inner building parts, which were severely impaired and partially destroyed in the course of investigations by experts, with a new building and only the striking facade and to keep the original tower. To this end, a creative workshop was held in September 2006 under the direction of the BDA -Ruhr area with the participation of several architects and town planners, in which a concept for a subsequent international architects' competition was developed. The BDA commented on this on its website with the words: "Everything will be fine!"

The negotiations to terminate the contract with the investor Xeris were successfully concluded shortly before Christmas 2006 and the Hans-Sachs-Haus returned to the ownership of the city. However, the investor continues to demand compensation for lost profit, etc. Any remaining claims should be clarified in an appraisal process.

This approach taken by the city leaders is criticized by the extreme left in the city council and the citizens' initiative it has shaped.

Certainly it was to be expected that some time would pass before the realization. The city was now planning an architecture competition, which was a condition u. a. intended to preserve the historical facade. The city administration put the total costs for such a new building at 50 to 80 million euros - depending on the variant. An area of ​​16,500 m² is assumed; this would significantly reduce the building area and cubage compared to the status quo. As part of this conception, the hall is no longer to be realized in its historical appearance and quality. Against the background of these parameters and with a view to the significantly delayed construction completion compared to all restoration scenarios (the discussion was back in 2011), it will only be possible to assess after completion whether the path taken was actually more economically advantageous than a continuation of the original concept . The state government provides substantial funding for the Hans-Sachs-Haus.

The fate of the famous Walcker organ is still completely open, as the new venue in the Hans-Sachs-Haus is conceptually and qualitatively unsuitable for the use of such a concert organ.

2008

Tower and new glass facade on the west side of the Hans-Sachs-Haus 2014 with the newly designed Alfred-Fischer-Platz, which has replaced the demolished extension.

The competition made by Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) emerged as the winner. The contract for the general planning services for the “New Hans-Sachs-Haus” was signed on June 23, 2008. A new building is now planned while preserving the listed facade. The extension from the 1950s will be demolished and a square will be replaced by the name "Alfred-Fischer-Platz".

2009

The “theater pavilion” not far from the Hans-Sachs-Haus was redesigned into a “blue box” using a system of mobile wall elements, in which information about the construction progress should be provided during the construction of the new Hans-Sachs-Haus. Even after the renovation has been completed, the Blue Box will be used as a venue for cabaret etc.

From 2010

The demolition of the council annex, the large hall and all internal components, which began in June 2009, was completed in March 2010. The basement foundations were then poured by May. The foundation stone was laid on September 10, 2010, the topping-out ceremony on April 15, and completion of the building was expected in March 2012. A series of documentation was created parallel to the renovation. At the end of 2011, the completion date was postponed to June 2012 and in March 2012 September 26, 2012 was set as the day of handover to the city. It had been known since mid-June 2012 that this handover date could not be kept either. The new date should then be between April and May 2013. The architectural office in charge of construction also assumed that the planned budget of EUR 55 million would be exceeded by EUR 5.7 million. The construction was completed in August 2013, costing a total of 69 million euros.

Concert hall organ

The concert organ was built in 1927 by the organ builder Eberhard Friedrich Walcker & Cie. (Ludwigsburg) built with 92 registers . During the Second World War the instrument was outsourced. In 1949 it was rebuilt and inaugurated. In 1955 the romantic remote control was removed. In 1982 the console was replaced by a modern, electric console, and in the following years the instrument was extensively rebuilt. a. also the pneumatic pocket drawers were replaced by electric slide drawers. In addition, the disposition was expanded to include 12 new registers in 1989. Up to 2002 the instrument had a total of 93 stops on four manuals and pedal .

Disposition from 1989
I main work C – c 4
1. Principal 16 ′
2 Far principal 16 ′
3. Principal 08th'
4th Fugara 08th'
5. Drone 08th'
6th Reed flute 08th'
7th Dulciana 08th'
8th. Octave 04 ′
9. recorder 04 ′
10. Fifth 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
11. flute 02 ′
12. octave 02 ′
13. Cornet I – V 08th'
14th Large mix IV – VI 0 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
15th Mixture II-V 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
16. Cymbel III 01'
17th Trumpet 16 ′
18th tuba 08th'
II Swell C – c 4
19th Dumped 16 ′
20th Flute Principal 08th'
21st Concert flute 08th'
22nd Quintatön 08th'
23. Salicional 08th'
24. Unda Maris 08th'
25th Principal 04 ′
26th Night horn 04 ′
27. Pointed flute 04 ′
28. Fifth flute 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
29 octave 02 ′
30th Bach flute 02 ′
31. Third flute 01 3 ⁄ 5  ′
32. Fifth 01 2 ⁄ 3  ′
33. Seventh 01 1 ⁄ 7  ′
34. Sif flute 01'
35. Mixture IV-VI 02 ′
36. Large cymbals IV – VII 0 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
37. Rankett 16 ′
38. Clarinet (through) 08th'
39. Rohrschalmey 08th'
III Swell C – c 4
40. Viol 16 ′
41. Cello principal 08th'
42. Dumped 08th'
43. Gemshorn 08th'
44. viola 08th'
45. Voix Celeste 08th'
46. Violin principal 04 ′
47. Quintatön 04 ′
48. Orchestra flute 04 ′
49. Gemshorn fifth 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
50. Schwiegel 02 ′
51. Fifth 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
52. Progressio Harm. III-V0 02 ′
53. Scharff IV 01'
54. Dulcian 16 ′
55. oboe 08th'
56. Krummhorn 08th'
57. Violin shelf 04 ′
IV Swell C – c 4
58. Night horn 16 ′
59. Strong Principal 08th'
60. Viola di gamba 08th'
61. Double flute 08th'
62. Thought fifth 05 1 ⁄ 3  ′
63. Praestant 04 ′
64. Smalled up 04 ′
65. Gemshornterz 01 2 ⁄ 5  ′
66. recorder 02 ′
67. Grand Cornet I – VIII 0 08th'
68. Mixture V 02 ′
69. bassoon 16 ′
70. trombone 08th'
71. horn 08th'
72. Trumpet 04 ′
73. Celesta
Pedals C – a 1
74. Pedestal 32 ′
75. Overtones II 10 2 ⁄ 3  ′
76. double bass 16 ′
77. Flute bass 16 ′
78. Sub bass 16 ′
79. Salicetbass (= No. 40) 16 ′
80. Soft bass (= No. 58) 16 ′
81. Overtones (= No. 62) 05 1 ⁄ 3  ′
82. Octave bass 08th'
83. Violoncello (= No. 41) 08th'
84. Bass flute (= No. 61) 08th'
85. Choral bass 04 ′
86. Field flute 02 ′
87. Pedal mix VI 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
88 Double bass tuba 32 ′
89. Bass tuba 16 ′
90. Dulcian bass (= No. 54) 16 ′
91. Bass trombone 08th'
92. Bass trumpet (= No. 72) 0 04 ′
93. Singing cornet 02 ′

In the years 2002 to 2007 the instrument was extensively restored by the organ builder Seifert (Kevelaer), with the aim of returning the instrument largely to its original condition from 1927 and bringing the technical system up to date. Apart from the restoration of the pipework, the slider drawers were replaced by electropneumatic pocket drawers, a new gaming table was built based on the gaming table from 1927, and in particular the remote mechanism that had been removed in the meantime was reconstructed. Of the registers added in the 1980s, six have been preserved, which can be controlled from the console, but are located outside the organ.

The instrument now has - according to the original disposition from 1927 - 92 stops (including seven transmissions), plus the six stops from 1989, with a total of 7,262 pipes on four manuals and pedal. The remote control is played from the fourth manual.

Since there was no hall suitable for the organ in the new Hans Sachs House, it was stored at the Seifert organ building workshop after the restoration. On May 18, 2017, the city council of Gelsenkirchen decided to give the organ to the parish of St. Antonius in Papenburg for the symbolic amount of one euro.

swell

  1. ↑ Lexicon of World Architecture , Nikolaus Pevsner u. a., Prestel Verlag 1987, ISBN 3-7913-1238-3 , ISBN 9783791320953 , record in the catalog of the German National Library
  2. ↑ Finding a name on hsh-ge.de
  3. ^ "The color guidance system" , Citizens' Forum Hans-Sachs-Haus.
  4. ^ "Renovations, restorations, extensions and conversions" , Citizens' Forum Hans-Sachs-Haus.
  5. ↑ January 25, 2006: Initiative hands over signature lists
  6. ^ Petition by the Hans-Sachs-Haus Citizens' Forum
  7. ↑ Invitation to the laying of the foundation stone. (No longer available online.) City of Gelsenkirchen, archived from the original on December 30, 2015 ; accessed on December 30, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gelsenkirchen.de
  8. ↑ Topping- out ceremony at the new Hans Sachs House. (No longer available online.) City of Gelsenkirchen, archived from the original on December 30, 2015 ; Retrieved September 20, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gelsenkirchen.de
  9. ↑ Jörn Stender: HSH: Construction finale now only in September 2012 , DerWesten, November 25, 2011, accessed on April 8, 2012.
  10. ^ The end of a construction period , DerWesten, March 8, 2012, accessed April 8, 2012.
  11. ↑ Friedhelm Pothoff: The handover was delayed. In: DerWesten. June 14, 2012, Retrieved July 8, 2012 .
  12. ↑ Friedhelm Pothoff: Handover should take place in April 2013. In: DerWesten. November 15, 2012, accessed January 20, 2013 .
  13. ↑ Open house
  14. ↑ Friedhelm Pothoff: NRW Minister of Construction Groschek admires Hans-Sachs-Haus , derwesten.de, August 31, 2013, accessed on September 14, 2013.
  15. ^ Hui outside and new inside in FAZ of September 4, 2013, page 28.
  16. ↑ On the history of the concert organ
  17. ↑ Detailed information and disposition of the Walcker organ
  18. ↑ More information about the organ after the restoration
  19. ↑ Gelsenkirchen decides to sell - The "Queen of Organs" comes to Papenburg. In: New Osnabrück Newspaper. May 18, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2017 .

Web links

Commons : Hans-Sachs-Haus (Gelsenkirchen)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

literature

Coordinates: 51 ° 30 ′ 39 ″  N , 7 ° 5 ′ 33 ″  E