Helene Neumann

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Self-portrait (etching)

Helene Neumann (born March 14, 1874 in Königsberg ; † June 2, 1942 in Rauschen ) was a Königsberg painter and graphic artist. She was chairman of the Koenigsberg Housewives Association .

origin

Helene Neumann was the great-granddaughter of Karl Gottfried Hagen (1749–1829), the founder of scientific pharmacy for Germany, and the granddaughter of the physicist Franz Ernst Neumann (1798–1895). Her father was the Königsberg pathologist and hematologist Ernst Neumann (1834–1918), her brother the mathematician Ernst Richard Neumann (1875–1955). She was also the great niece of Ernst August Hagen (1797–1880), the first art professor at the Albertina , who in 1845 had co-founded the art academy.

Life

While attending the secondary school for girls in Königsberg, her mathematical and artistic talent was encouraged through additional private lessons. After graduating from high school, Helene Neumann completed her training as a graphic designer from 1897 to 1900 in Munich with Peter Halm , Ernst Neumann and Heinrich Wolff and with Louis Jacobi from Berlin. In 1902 she entered the newly established H. Wolffs class at the Königsberg Art Academy . For this she wrote:

“Heinrich Wolff is always a good advisor to me. He opened my eyes to the wonderful light near the coast, especially on the Curonian Spit, so that I was drawn there in the spring. The lithographs with the delicate green of the leaves next to the gray tones of the tree trunks are very popular, also with Wolff. That of course encourages ... "

- Helene Neumann : Archive of the Franz Neumann Foundation

Artistic activity

The artist's house in Rauschen, Karlstrasse, with her father Ernst Chr. Neumann's study pavilion, hematologist
Lithograph "Wald von Warnicken" Samland coast, by Helene Neumann 42 × 30 cm

Helene Neumann took the motifs of her etchings, lithographs and watercolors mainly from the Samland with its steep coast, the spit landscape, the city of Königsberg and Masuria. In accordance with her social commitment (see below), she often portrayed the working people. Here she was influenced by Käthe Kollwitz , a woman from Königsberg , who often took up social issues, the working people, the poor and the elderly in society. H. Neumann was too young to meet with Käthe Kollwitz during her time in Königsberg (1861–1891), at least nothing has been passed on in this regard. In contrast, she received not only visitors from the art scene of the “ Nidden Artists Colony ” in Rauschen , but also a. also from Agnes Miegel:

“But immortal in the bright sunlight of an August day over our blue lake (Mühlenteich), another picture stands in front of me: I stand next to Helene Neumann on the threshold of the small Haidehaus in Rauschen, around which the wind carries the scent of lupins and flowering heather , Wolff's pupil, who most familiarly captured the gentle magic of this coastal landscape in her leaves. "

- Agnes Miegel

A large number of her “original stone drawings” were published as postcard series in the years 1908–1920, and from 1934 by H.Schwarz and A.Wilutzky. A new edition of the series with 16 postcards, which has since been out of print, was published in 1993 by Rautenberg-Verlag, Leer / Ostfr.

Exhibitions

Even during her lifetime, Helene Neumann's works were shown at exhibitions at the Königsberger Kunstverein, the local art academy and the Teichert art gallery, and in 1912 in the “Great Berlin Exhibition”. H. Neumann was represented here with two pictures alongside Marie Seeck, Kurt Dietrich Losch , Eduard Anderson and Maria Lahrs. Further exhibitions with pictures by Neumann: "First International Graphic Art Exhibition Leipzig 1914" and in the Kunsthalle Königsberg on May 3, 1914 "The Curonian Spit in Art" The post-war exhibitions:

  • 1976/77 Nidden and the Curonian Spit, Altonaer Museum Hamburg
  • 1977 “Nidden and the Curonian Spit” in the East German Gallery in Regensburg
  • 1994 Kaliningrad State Art Gallery
  • 1994/1995 Museum City of Königsberg in Duisburg
  • 1999 Brachert Museum in Georgenswalde-Ostradnoje / Russia
  • 2005 Kaliningrad Art Gallery for the 750th anniversary of the city of Königsberg-Kaliningrad
  • 2006 "The Curonian Spit" in the Museum City of Königsberg, Duisburg

Social activity

Original stone drawing as postcard by Helene Neumann
Helene Neumann Recreation Home in Sassau, Samland-East Prussia
Before 1930, Helene Neumann negotiated a collective agreement for homeworkers for the first time in 1906

In 1903, after her mother's death and moving into her own house in Rauschen, Helene Neumann turned to social work. In 1904 she founded the “ Home Workers Union ” (1904–1914) in Rauschen, the predecessor of which had been built up a few years earlier by her friend Margarete Behm (1860–1929) in Berlin. For the first time in Germany around 1906, Helene Neumann negotiated the first collectively agreed wage payments for homeworkers with buyers of the textiles sewn by housewives at home (here, for example, with an umbrella manufacturer). "With much greater joy and satisfaction, we look at the collective agreements that came about in the second half of May 1906 through the mediation of our organization in the Königsberg umbrella industry". Helene Neumann took on union functions.

The association was a member of the German Association of Homeworkers and House Helpers. H. Neumann supported the homeworkers with such commitment that she built a rest home in Sassau on Samland with the help of the family around 1906. (Fig). This "Helene Neumann House" for homeworkers served to alleviate the multiple workloads of homeworkers for a short time. The house opened its doors every summer to give the women peace, relaxation and new strength. The house was taken over in 1914 by Olga Friedemann's housewives' association in Königsberg and continued to serve homeworkers as a rest home.

In 1914 Margarete Behm and Helene Neumann introduced Olga Friedemann (1857-1935) to the environment of needy housewives and homeworkers. Friedemann and Neumann succeeded in founding the " Königsberger Hausfrauenbund ", in which Neumann became 2nd chairwoman and auditor.

The "established" East Prussian associations, d. H. the “ home workers ' union ” by Helene Neumann, the “ Königsberger Verein Frauenwohl ” by Pauline Bohn and partly the “Agricultural Housewives Association” by Elisabet Böhm . Then the First World War broke out. Immediately, Olga Friedemann and Helene Neumann organized the "Mittelstandsküche Hufen" through the Housewives Association as a war facility to feed the needy.

After the war, the Königsberg Housewives 'Association joined the "Association of East German Housewives' Associations", with Helene Neumann taking on the accounting for all East Prussian associations. Finally, in 1919, with its many East German housewives associations mentioned above, the association joined the “ Reichsverband Deutscher Hausfrauenvereine ” (RDH) (1915–1935), to which Helene Neumann contributed her experience from East Prussia to the committee for building and housing purposes from 1921 to 1935. In 1927 Helene Neumann represented the RDH as accounting officer at the international congress for home economics in Rome. Olga Friedemann and Helene Neumann had such a decisive influence in Berlin that they were recognized for the “profession of home economics”: in 1926 the state-recognized examination for “master of home economics” was held for the first time for all of Germany through the “Königsberger Hausfrauenbund” in the RDH. Königsberg also adopted the “Vocational Training Act”, the “Work Evidence Act” and the “Food Act” in the RDH. Both women published the “Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung”, with H. Neumann as editor and auditor. In this association magazine she published regularly on topics of her interest (literature). Via the Königsberg Housewives Association, she headed the “Königsberg Housing Commission” and organized events and exhibitions (see below). Olga Friedemann wrote about this in an edition of the Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung dedicated to Helene Neumann on her 60th birthday: “Helene Neumann mastered the accounting in the widespread companies of the municipal and provincial organizations and solved problems for the sworn auditors. As a talented and skilful speaker, she drew attention at the international congress for home economics in Rome (1927) to the home economics training founded and run in East Prussia. "

After Olga Friedemann's death in 1935, Helene Neumann continued the business of the "Königsberg Housewives' Association". The new first chairman was Dora Schlochow, who on January 1, 1936 dissolved all the associations registered in the “Reichsverband Deutscher Hausfrauenvereine” and left it up to the members to join the new National Socialist “Deutsche Frauenwerk”. With the expiry of the non-National Socialist housewives' associations throughout Germany, Helene Neumann resigned from all voluntary work and no longer played a leading role in the “women's work”. She writes: “Let a fresh wind blow the footprints [of the East Prussian housewives' associations]. May new times form new forms, if only the spirit is preserved in all future. "

The life of Helene Neumann, which was shaped by art and trade union activity, cannot be better described than Olga Friedemann: "But far beyond achievement and talent, the simple, unassuming nature of her being, the purity of her will and the selflessness of her actions shines beyond achievement and talent."

Helene Neumann died on June 2, 1942 of complications from a stroke. The urn was buried in the cemetery in Rauschen. She was never given a state or municipal honor during her lifetime. Her artistic life's work received international recognition for this.

Works

Publications in the Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung (OHZ)

  • 1926 Helene Neumann Foundation, OHZ Vol. 1, No. 12 (1926), p. 12
  • 1927 Rossitten and Vacation Trip in Past Times OHZ, Vol. 2, No. 5 (127), p. 4,5
  • 1928 Sketches from Rome, Kgb Frauenblatt, 3rd ax. Kbg.Allg.Ztg. No. 53, title page p. 1.
  • 1929 rural women's interests at the technical conference for the construction industry and "economic building in Berlin", OHZ, vol. 4, no. 5 (1929) p. 2; From No. 10 and No. 12: Topics of the State Building Commission
  • 1930 Settlement issues in East Prussia, from the state building commission of the Association of East German Housewives' Associations, OHZ, vol. 5, No. 1, p. 3; - No. 3, p. 2; - and No. 11, p. 2
  • 1931 On the Berlin Building Exhibition, OHZ, vol. 6, no. 8 (1931), p. 2
  • 1932 On the building exhibition in Königsberg with floor plans of divided large apartments from March 1st - 4th 1932 OHZ, vol. 7, no. 2 and no. 4, p. 3
  • 1933 Settlements in East Prussia (planned) OHZ, vol. 8, no. 9, p. 1
  • 1934 Issue in honor of Helene Neumann with comment Olga Friedemann, OHZ, vol. 9, No. 4
  • 1935 15 years of the Association of East German Housewives, in: Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung, vol. 10 (1935), Christmas special, p. 5.
  • 1935 Olga Friedemann - Obituary, OHZ, vol. 10, no. 9 (1935), p. 2
  • 1935 Farewell - last edition of the OHZ, vol. 10, no.12 (1935) title page

Further publications and lectures

  • Neumann, H .: "Helene Neumann Foundation" in Sassau. Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung 1st vol. No. 12 (1912), pp. 2–3 with illustrations and floor plans of the rest home
  • Neumann, H .: Settlement issues in the east, yearbook 1931 of the Reichsverband Deutscher Hausfrauenvereine eV Vol. 7 Self-published Berlin 1930, pp. 147–153
  • Helene Neumann: Housemaids questions in the east, lecture at the 7th working conference of the Reichsverband Deutscher Hausfrauenvereine eV in Königsberg from June 23rd - 27th, 1924 (Only title from the conference program; Location: Archive Franz Neumann Foundation Berlin. Lecture text not published ( ?)).

literature

  • Eberhard Neumann-Redlin from Meding and Franz Neumann: Helene Neumann. East Prussian Landscape in Pictures, 1st edition. Stiftg. Ostpr. Hamb. (Ed.), Munich 1979, 2nd edition Rautenberg, Leer 1987.
  • Katja Behling and Anke Manigold, Die Malweiber. Intrepid female artists around 1900, Sandmann, Munich 2009 - subsequently several editions in paperback format
  • Olga Friedemann: Helene Neumann 60 years - A review and thanks. Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung, Volume 9, No. 4 (1934) p. 1
  • E. Neumann-Redlin von Meding: Helene Neumann. Student in the women's class at the Königsberg Art Academy (founded 1845). Königsberger Bürgerbrief 44 (1995) pp. 31-33 (HN-DUI95.rtf)
  • E. Neumann-Redlin von Meding: Elisabet Böhm and Helene Neumann. Pioneers for the profession of home economics. Königsberger Bürgerbrief No. 86 (2015), pp. 32–34
  • E. Neumann-Redlin von Meding: From the beginnings of East Prussian housewives' associations to the designation "Master of Housekeeping". Königsberger Bürgerbrief No. 86 (2015) pp. 35–41 and No. 87 (2015) pp. 24–31
  • Prussia-Gesellschaft Duisburg and Ostdeutsche Galerie Regensburg (ed.): U. Albinus: Art Academy Königsberg 1845–1945 Work 11 of the Prussia series, Aumüller Regensburg, around 1985
  • Klaus Merx: The graphic artist Helene Neumann in: Neumann-Redlin von Meding, E., Neumann, F .: East Prussian landscape in pictures. 1st edition. East Prussia Foundation Hamburg, 1979; 2nd edition Rautenberg Verlag 1987
  • Eberhard Neumann-Redlin von Meding: Helene Neumann (1874–1941), painter from Königsberg. Exhibitions of her works in Kaliningrad and Duisburg. Königsberger Bürgerbrief Issue 44 (1995) 31-33
  • E. Neumann-Redlin von Meding: Helene Neumann: Exhibition in the Brachert Museum Ostradnoije. Address on June 6, 1999 in the Museum Stadt Königsberg, Duisburg, Königsberger Bürgerbrief No. 53 (1999) pp. 68–69
  • Lorenz Grimoni , Neumann-Redlin von Meding, E., Sabolotskaja, G .: Art Academy Königsberg 1845–1945, catalog for the painting exhibition (lender mainly Museum Stadt Königsberg in Duisburg) on ​​the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the city Königsberg, German-Russian language, publisher Kaliningrad Art Gallery 2005, 40 pages
  • Meyer-Bremen, R. Artist Lexicon of East and West Prussia, Husum 2012
  • Herbert Wilhelmi : Nidden and his painters . Glückstadt 1977
  • Catalog "Künstlerparadies Kurische Nehrung" Exhibition September 22, 2006 - April 30, 2007, published by Museum Stadt Königsberg, Duisburg 2007
  • East Prussia calendar 2010, Heimatkreisgemeinschaft Landkreis Königsberg eV in Minden Westf., 3 pictures
  • East Prussia calendar 2011, Heimatkreisgemeinschaft Landkreis Königsberg eV in Minden Westf., 3 pictures
  • Beyer, A., Savoy, B., Tegethoff, W. (Hrsg.): Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon (AKL) 5th edition 2012, Verlag De Gruyter Berlin, 6th edition in preparation 2015/2016
  • J. Barfod: Nidden - artist colony on the Curonian Spit. Fischerhuder art book, 2005
  • Neumann-Redlin von Meding, E .: Elisabet Böhm and Helene Neumann. Pioneers for the profession of home economics. Königsberger Bürgerbrief No. 86 (2015), pp. 32–34
  • E. Neumann-Redlin von Meding: From the beginnings of East Prussian housewives' associations to the designation "Master of Housekeeping". Königsberger Bürgerbrief No. 86 (2015) pp. 35–41 and No. 87 (2015) pp. 24–31

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Klaus Merx: The graphic artist Helene Neumann in: Neumann-Redlin von Meding, E., Neumann, F .: East Prussian landscape in pictures. 1st edition. East Prussia Foundation Hamburg, 1979; 2nd edition Rautenberg Verlag 1987
  2. ↑ Klaus Merx: The graphic artist Helene Neumann in: Neumann-Redlin von Meding, E., Neumann, F .: East Prussian landscape in pictures. 1st edition. East Prussia Foundation Hamburg, 1979; 2nd edition Rautenberg Verlag 1987
  3. ^ Exhibition in Königsberg i.Pr.-Der Cicerone, bi-monthly publication for the interests of the art researcher and collector. 6th year, issue 10 Leipziger Verlag (1914), pp. 379-380
  4. ↑ 3rd Trade Association of Homeworkers Berlin (ed.), Die Heimarbeitin - Organ of the Christian Homeworker Movement, vol. 5, No. 1 (1905), p. 1 (from March 1905 Margarete Behm was the first chairwoman of the association vol. 5, No. 3 (1905), p. 1)
  5. ^ Edited management: collective agreement with the umbrella industry in Königsberg. In: Die Heimarbeitin, Vol. 6, No. 7 (1906), title page p. 1
  6. ↑ Olga Friedemann: Helene Neumann 60 Years - A Review and Thanks. Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung, Volume 9, No. 4 (1934) p. 1
  7. ↑ Helene Neumann, "Helene Neumann Foundation" in Sassau, in: Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung vol. 1 No. 12 (1912), pp. 2–3 with illustrations and floor plans of the rest home
  8. ↑ Elisabet Boehm, Ostpreußische Zeitung und Landfrauen, in: Commemorative edition 80 years of Ostpreußische Zeitung 1849 - 1928, from December 31, 1928, p. 14
  9. ^ Neumann-Redlin von Meding, E .: Elisabet Boehm (1859–1943) and Helene Neumann (1874–1942) as pioneers for the profession of “home economics” Königsberger Bürgerbrief No. 86 (2015), pp. 32–34
  10. ^ Neumann-Redlin von Meding, E .: From the beginnings of East Prussian housewives' associations to the designation "Master of Housekeeping". Königsberger Bürgerbrief No. 86 (2015) pp. 35–41 and No. 87 (2016) pp. 24–31
  11. ↑ 2. Olga Friedemann, Helene Neumann 60 Years - A Review and Thanks, Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung 9th vol. No. 4 (1934), p. 2
  12. ↑ Helene Neumann, 15 years of the Association of East German Housewives, in: Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung, vol. 10 (1935), Christmas special, p. 5.
  13. ↑ Olga Friedemann, Helene Neumann 60 Years - A Review and Thanks, Ostdeutsche Hausfrauenzeitung 9th vol. No. 4 (1934), p. 1
personal data
SURNAME Neumann, Helene
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German artist
DATE OF BIRTH March 14, 1874
PLACE OF BIRTH Koenigsberg i. Pr.
DATE OF DEATH June 2, 1942
Place of death Noise , Samland