Max Hammer

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Max Hammer (born December 25, 1884 in Schwendi , Upper Swabia , † November 10, 1973 in Ulm ) was a German painter and restorer. In 1969 he wrote the home book of the community of Schwendi.

Life

Max Hammer's father was the arts and crafts Karl Hammer . After completing his training, he also became a craftsman. He lived and worked in Ulm . He worked as a restorer for 35 years and worked as a painter throughout his life. Hammer could live more poorly than well on the proceeds of his work. After losing his right forearm in a work accident in 1928, the right-handed man worked with his left hand.

Hammer dealt with the local history of Schwendi for the first time in 1926, when he was commissioned by the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments to record the field names of the community of Schwendi. His work “ Schwendi. Heimatbuch einer Gemeinde in Oberschwaben ”was published in 1969. On November 10, 1973, Hammer died at the age of 89. Max Hammer is the father of the Ulm restorer and artist Walter Hammer (born April 17, 1910, † August 30, 1980).

Works of art

In 1963, Max Hammer made successful copies of the two statues of the Gothic winged altar in the Schwendier St. Anna Chapel . They can only be seen when the altar is closed and show the donors of the altar, Wilhelm von Schwendi († 1522) and his wife Barbara von Schwendi, née Krafft von Dellmensingen († 1538). The originals of the inactive leaves came into the possession of the Krafft von Dellmensingen family in the 18th century, and in 1954 Hammer came across the pictures in an exhibition in Ulm. After Max Weishaupt was unable to acquire the statues , Hammer received permission in 1963 to make copies and attach them to the altar.

As a painter, Hammer received numerous commissions from individuals and companies. Among other things, a mural that he made in 1941 for the brewery in Warthausen has been preserved. The idyllic scenery shows farmers harvesting hops. Today the painting can be seen in the restaurant “Zum wack'ren Schwaben” in Warthausen.

Hammer also created a large number of oil paintings, which are owned by the community of Schwendi, among others. These include landscapes, still lifes, village views, and portraits.

The home book of the community of Schwendi (1969)

Max Hammer's book “ Schwendi. Heimatbuch einer Gemeinde in Oberschwaben ”, which was published in 1969, is still the standard work on the local history of Schwendi. After years of work, Hammer completed the manuscript on December 25, 1968, his 84th birthday, as he writes in the foreword. Hammer was initially supported financially by the community, later exclusively by his nephew Max Weishaupt, head of Weishaupt GmbH . On 224 pages it is devoted to the history of the village: from the "prehistory" to the 1960s. The detailed chapters about the Schwendier church buildings are outstanding: Hammer's depictions of the parish church St. Stephanus and the St. Anna chapel testify to his broad knowledge of architecture and art history. The documentation of the Schwendier field names is also particularly valuable.

One focus is the history of local rule and individual personalities. Hammer tells the story of "important men", the everyday life of the population hardly plays a role. The chapter “Schwendi in the 19th and 20th centuries” takes up just 15 pages. There is no critical discussion of National Socialism in the village, which is not unusual for the 1960s. Hammer honors the writer Karl Aloys Schenzinger , whose family comes from Schwendi, as one of “the most widely read of our time” without mentioning that he wrote the template for the Nazi propaganda film “ Hitler Youth Quex ”. Hammer modestly calls his book an “attempt” that “will one day be continued with new knowledge and strengths.” 40 years later, his book is still the most valuable source of local history in Schwendier - Hammer's work is pending.

Honors

Street sign of Max-Hammer-Strasse in Schwendi

On September 20, 1955, Hammer was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon for his work as a restorer . His home community Schwendi made him an honorary citizen in 1970 . In 2002 the Schwendi local council decided to name a street after him. Max-Hammer-Strasse is located in the new development area in the north of Schwendi.

Book publication

  • Max Hammer: Schwendi. Home register of a community in Upper Swabia , Anton H. Konrad Verlag, Weißenhorn 1969

literature

  • Hammer, Max: Schwendi. Home register of a municipality in Oberschwaben , Weißenhorn 1969
  • Högerle, Gebhard: The Rot and its valley from the origin to the mouth: a foray through nature and the history of the Rottal , Erbach 1999
  • Community of Schwendi (Ed.): Schwendi. 850 years , Laupheim 1978

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Högerle (1999), p. 124
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Hammer (1969), p. 5
  3. ↑ Högerle (1999), p. 125
  4. ↑ Hammer (1969), pp. 167f.
  5. ^ Website of the "Care Center Schlosspark" in Warthausen
  6. ↑ Högerle (1999), p. 124f.
  7. ↑ See Hammer (1969), pp. 64-79
  8. ↑ Hammer (1969), p. 126
  9. ↑ Office of the Federal President
  10. ^ Community of Schwendi (ed.): Schwendi. 850 years , Laupheim 1978, p. 16
personal data
SURNAME Hammer, max
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Painter, restorer and author
DATE OF BIRTH December 25, 1884
PLACE OF BIRTH Schwendi , Upper Swabia
DATE OF DEATH November 10, 1973