Martin Mächler

Martin Mächler (born February 22, 1881 in Loham ; † December 13, 1958 in Berlin ) was a Swiss - German architect and urban planner . He viewed urban planning from the perspective of a holistic world vision with a universalist claim.

Live and act

Martin Mächler was born in Loham, Bavaria , in 1881 to a Swiss father and an old Bavarian woman. After his father died early, his mother brought him up in a convent school . It was here in the Christian-religious environment that his career aspirations developed: he wanted to create church art. Around 1900 he completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter and then attended the Art Academy in Munich with the intention of perfecting his skills and using them for the altar carpentry . He also painted and modeled. The sculpture led him to technical considerations and this in turn to science. World political events agitated him so much that he aroused lasting interest in the context of life - religious thinking was replaced by scientific thinking. An essay by August Oncken finally brought him to the interrelationship between economics and politics. By attending lectures, he trained himself further in this direction.

After completing his studies, he went to Hamburg to be hired as a cabin boy , which only succeeded in Rotterdam . Up to 1907 he went to sea and in this way got to know half the world. He gained insights into the most diverse socio-political living conditions and got to know the technical achievements. A panoramic view from a mountain top over Hong Kong to the incessant port gears of the incoming and outgoing merchant ships and the import - export- loading business gave him the idea of asking about the regulatory framework behind world trade and world traffic. This gave rise to the next question, namely the efficiency of ship connections compared to the airways currently being opened up.

Returning to Germany in 1908, he decided to seek answers to his questions in the City of London , in particular to study the Lloyd's Register . During a stay in Hamburg he met a school friend again who encouraged him to come along on the way to Berlin. Loved the city, he stayed. From then on, for 50 years until his death in 1958, he devoted his life's work to the study of world economy and world transport using the example of the emerging metropolis of Berlin. In November 1913 he settled in Berlin-Charlottenburg as an architect. His aim was not to design individual buildings, but to bring about a world-city-like, globalized society-oriented performance. He tried to achieve this primarily with journalistic means. In urban planning, which was previously seen in Berlin from the point of view of solving individual problems such as hygiene, traffic and aesthetic design, he believes that economic , energy and cultural policy requirements should be brought into harmony. From 1917 to 1919 he developed the “Schematic Mass Division of Berlin”, an axis plan for the design of Berlin's city center. This was one of the first spatial planning concepts. It covered a territory with a radius of 50 km and divided it into five functions. With his preparatory work, Mächler contributed to the draft law on the formation of Greater Berlin . The main concern of the enormous urban restructuring process lay in the design of the city center, because Berlin not only had a center as a city, but also as the capital was the center of the German Empire , which in turn was connected to the whole world, which meant that ( serving administrative and representative functions) the heart of the new unified community of Greater Berlin resulted in a higher level of centrality. Mächler's considerations set the trend for many urban planners and architects in the 1920s. A Berlin north-south axis also included the plans of the later National Socialist general building inspector Albert Speer . Both concepts, however, showed “spiritual differences”, as Günther Kühne assures in the preface to Ilse Balg's documentation.

In 1926, at Mächler's instigation, the “Berlin City Committee” was founded by the Association of Berlin Merchants and Industrialists and the German Werkbund . The aim of the association of urban personalities (to which Ernst Reuter belonged) was to increase the attractiveness of the inner city by means of interlocking components that make up the city (economy, science, administration, art / culture and living).

Mächler was editor of the Deutsche Bauzeitung for several years . Through this organ he kept in contact with the leading architects and town planners of the time and had a platform for his own articles. In 1935 - under Nazi rule - he had to give up the editor . He wanted to systematically summarize the forces at work in interior design in what he called “Demodynamics” and published by Reimar Hobbing . Shortly after the publication of the first part, the National Socialists who had just come to power burned the little book, because Mächler's ideas, which transcended national borders, did not correspond to their ideas. Mächler was further harassed during the war . In 1942, according to the security service of the Reichsführer SS, he was considered a person who covered his opposition to the German government with the cloak of his Swiss citizenship and did not feel obliged to apply National Socialist customs. During house searches by the Gestapo , but also by occupation soldiers after the war, there were losses of documents, for example the correspondence with Lenin has been lost.

From 1945 he worked as a specialist journalist and speaker in the field of spatial and urban policy, mainly for the reconstruction of Berlin . In addition, he worked at the building academy in East Berlin and later an honorary professor for special issues in urban development at the Technical University of Berlin in West Berlin .

Matin Mächler died on December 13, 1958 at the age of 77 in Berlin. Were his unusual ideas in 1923 in the professional world even as "revolutionizing" as at the International urbanism exhibition Gotenborg was seen in 1923, and his person in 1933 even as "one of the most remarkable figures of the period," as the Berliner Börsen-Courier meant gained over the years he has achieved the reputation of a first-rate capacity in the field of urban and spatial planning and energy research. His view of the importance of his profession was also unconventional: He put urban planners on the same level as politicians (or at least demanded strategic insight and foresight from politicians).

Quotes

“Demodynamics is the science that deals with the entire life phenomena of a people in their current state and development. Starting from the observation of individual processes and facts, it seeks to arrive at the knowledge of general laws. Demodynamics should support practical politics in the same way that technology is supported by the natural sciences. "

- Martin Mächler : Demodynamics 1

"In my considerations I start from the idea that the solution to the question is a question of space, a question of energy and space in the actual meaning of the word."

- Martin Mächler : quoted from Balg: Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin

Fonts (selection)

World economy and world city. A question of fate for the occidental culture. 1911 or earlier. (An often cited “manifest” or “memorandum”, the publication dates of which could not be determined; text in: Balg, pp. 26–28.)

German unity. Sketch for their symbolic conception. Dedicated to Germanness. Ring-Verlag, Berlin 1917.

A world newspaper plan. Study. Gebhardt, Jahn & Landt, Berlin 1917.

The large settlement and its global political significance. City and state building sketches. Ring-Verlag, Berlin 1918.

New building and Rhine line. 12 essays (= workers' library ; 2). Rheinland Verlag Cologne [CF Fleischer], Cologne 1921.

Qualitative renewal. The position of negation in occidental cultural development. In: The Form. Journal for creative work , issue 10/1932, p. 328.

Demodynamik 1. Verlag von Reimar Hobbing, Berlin 1933.

The cosmopolitan city. In: Deutsche Bauzeitung. Illustrated weekly for building design, building technology, urban and rural planning, building industry and building law , issue 28/1934 of July 11, 1934.

also numerous publications in magazines such as Gartenstadt. Announcements from the German Garden City Society or Der Städtebau or Swiss Monthly Bullets

literature

Ilse Balg: Martin Mächler - cosmopolitan city Berlin. Writings and materials presented and edited by Ilse Balg. Published as part of the International Building Exhibition in Berlin . Gallery Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986.

Individual evidence

↑ Christian Welzbacher: The state architecture of the Weimar Republic . Lukas-Verlag für Kunst- und Geistesgeschichte, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-936872-62-7 , The Spreebogen as a government forum, Martin Mächler, Hugo Häring and the "Ring" (1917-29), pp. 143 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Martin Mächler . Architect; Energy and space researcher. In: Ernst Munzinger (Ed.): Internationales Biographisches Archiv . No. 07/1959 . Munzinger Archive, Ravensburg February 2, 1959, work.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ilse Balg: Formative youthful impressions. World travel . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 9 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Eva-Maria Barkhofen (ed.): Architecture in the archive. The collection of the Academy of Arts . DOM Publishers, Berlin 2016, ISBN 978-3-86922-492-3 , Martin Mächler, p. 526 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c Dr. Fischer: Re: Martin Mächler, architect […] In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 442 (wording of a letter from SS-Hauptsturmführer Dr. Fischer to the Reich Security Main Office).
↑ ^a ^b Urban planning in the 1920s. In: berlingeschichte.de. Zepter und Krone GmbH, 2004, accessed on May 26, 2020 .
^ ^A ^b ^c Günther Kühne: The name of Martin Mächler [...] In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. Blurb .
^ Ilse Balg: Berlin City Committee . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 169 ff .
^ Gustav Langen: Gotenburg - A memory . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 442 (wording of a recollection, originally in: Deutsche Architekten-Zeitung of February 25, 1944).
↑ Introduction . Martin Mächler (Feb. 22, 19881 - Dec. 13, 1958). Work and personality from a contemporary perspective. In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 1 (quoted here from Eugen Lewin-Dorsch, Börsen-Courier , No. 525, Part 2, November 9, 1933 morning).
↑ Quoted from the prints in Balg: Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin , p. 1 and p. 439.
^ Sourced quote from Balg: Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin , p. 9.
^ Martin Mächler: World economy and world city. A question of fate for the occidental culture . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 26–28 (full text, no facsimile , the original script).
↑ Christian Welzbacher: The state architecture of the Weimar Republic . Lukas-Verlag für Kunst- und Geistesgeschichte, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-936872-62-7 , The Spreebogen as a government forum, Martin Mächler, Hugo Häring and the "Ring" (1917-29), pp. 144 .

Web links

Works by and about Martin Mächler in the German Digital Library
Literature by and about Martin Mächler in the catalog of the German National Library
Literature by and about Martin Mächler in the bibliographic database WorldCat
Martin Mächler Collection in the archive of the Academy of Arts , Berlin

personal data
SURNAME	Mächler, Martin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Swiss-German architect and city planner
DATE OF BIRTH	February 22, 1881
PLACE OF BIRTH	Loham
DATE OF DEATH	December 13, 1958
Place of death	Berlin

[1] Christian Welzbacher: The state architecture of the Weimar Republic . Lukas-Verlag für Kunst- und Geistesgeschichte, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-936872-62-7 , The Spreebogen as a government forum, Martin Mächler, Hugo Häring and the "Ring" (1917-29), pp. 143 .

[Munzinger-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Martin Mächler . Architect; Energy and space researcher. In: Ernst Munzinger (Ed.): Internationales Biographisches Archiv . No. 07/1959 . Munzinger Archive, Ravensburg February 2, 1959, work.

[Balg9-3] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ilse Balg: Formative youthful impressions. World travel . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 9 .

[Barkhofen-4] Eva-Maria Barkhofen (ed.): Architecture in the archive. The collection of the Academy of Arts . DOM Publishers, Berlin 2016, ISBN 978-3-86922-492-3 , Martin Mächler, p. 526 .

[Balg442-5] Dr. Fischer: Re: Martin Mächler, architect […] In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 442 (wording of a letter from SS-Hauptsturmführer Dr. Fischer to the Reich Security Main Office).

[berlingeschichte-6] Urban planning in the 1920s. In: berlingeschichte.de. Zepter und Krone GmbH, 2004, accessed on May 26, 2020 .

[Balg0-7] A ^b ^c Günther Kühne: The name of Martin Mächler [...] In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. Blurb .

[8] Ilse Balg: Berlin City Committee . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 169 ff .

[9] Gustav Langen: Gotenburg - A memory . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 442 (wording of a recollection, originally in: Deutsche Architekten-Zeitung of February 25, 1944).

[10] Introduction . Martin Mächler (Feb. 22, 19881 - Dec. 13, 1958). Work and personality from a contemporary perspective. In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 1 (quoted here from Eugen Lewin-Dorsch, Börsen-Courier , No. 525, Part 2, November 9, 1933 morning).

[11] Quoted from the prints in Balg: Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin , p. 1 and p. 439.

[12] Sourced quote from Balg: Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin , p. 9.

[13] Martin Mächler: World economy and world city. A question of fate for the occidental culture . In: Ilse Balg (Ed.): Martin Mächler - Weltstadt Berlin . Represented and edited by Ilse Balg. Galerie Wannsee Verlag, Berlin 1986, p. 26–28 (full text, no facsimile , the original script).

[14] Christian Welzbacher: The state architecture of the Weimar Republic . Lukas-Verlag für Kunst- und Geistesgeschichte, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-936872-62-7 , The Spreebogen as a government forum, Martin Mächler, Hugo Häring and the "Ring" (1917-29), pp. 144 .