Tartarus (Dusseldorf)

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The Tartarus Association was a student association at the Art Academy in Düsseldorf that existed from 1885 to 1892 .

history

In the "Uel", 1880, drawing of the interior of the Zur Uel restaurant at Ratinger Straße 16

Towards the end of the 19th century, the rifts continued to break open within the Düsseldorf artists. On the one hand stood the artists and teachers of the academy , devoted to the tradition of the Düsseldorf School of Painting and loyal to the rich , such as Theodor Rocholl , Johann Peter Theodor Janssen or Fritz Neuhaus . On the other hand, the next generation of academics demanded an honest portrayal of reality, freed from the declamatory figuration and revolted against academicism .

The students at the academy had often worked together for years in a painting class, exchanged ideas and got to know each other better, and so they also met outside of the academy to exchange ideas about social life and studies.

“In opposition to the 'imperially decreed brush patriotism', artist colonies formed all over Germany. Also in Düsseldorf's old town on Ratinger Strasse [...] the academy students [...] joined together to form the 'Tartarus' association during a drinking tour in the beer bar [Zur] Uel . "

- Bettina Baumgärtel

Around 1885 Peter Philippi and fellow students founded the “Tartarus” student association as a pub society. The founders took the name from Greek mythology , the personified part of the underworld Tartaros , the dark abyss, according to Homer as deep as the sky above the earth. The place where Zeus overthrew his opponents became the joking name for the meetings that took place in the back rooms of bars. They, the "Tartars", saw themselves coming out of the place of iniquity, as troublemakers or provocateurs.

Philippi was portrayed as a contentious person who was open to cultural and art criticism. He wrote: “[…] in addition to the large“ paint box ”[…] the Tartarus Association was a sociable and refreshing association of young, seriously aspiring artists. [...] One had argued about serious work, the highest conception of the essence of art, respect for nature and the old masters and above all a thoroughly healthy mindset that was not spoiled by any degeneration or arrogance created a spiritual atmosphere that was fully inner Purity, unsolicited refinement and spiritual happiness. "

The association gave itself written statutes on January 20, 1886 with a beer comment in the appendix. In general, the bar gatherings of the "Tartars", as they called themselves, were similar to the rules that were customary in corps and fraternities . They spoke to Tartarusabenden from Präses , Cub Major , of batches and the Convent . A circle was held. The student union published a newspaper under the name "Tartarus" at irregular intervals. Members gave themselves pseudonyms , which underlined special characteristics of the person or position in the community. Karl Krummacher was named "Apollo" because of his joy in singing and his flowing artist's mane. Heinrich Vogeler was called "Mining" after a character in a novel by Fritz Reuter . Thomas Theodor Heine wrote in his satirical résumé in 1941 [it is not an autobiography] I am waiting for miracles in the chapter Paths to Art: “In“ Amicitia ”[Tartarus] everyone gets a pub name. Hardekopp [here himself], for example, was called "Rembrandt" because he looks so much like him. "

Around 1900, the majority of the students were nationally attuned, which was not considered political but taken for granted, a legacy of the student associations from the first half of the 19th century. By 1850, nationalism was by no means the rule. The academy students were legally, culturally and socially in themselves a relatively closed group, which had a strong tradition of group consciousness, but were not yet socially integrated and thus largely opposed to compromises. In their political ideas and ideals they therefore tended to be rigorous and saw themselves as an elite. Based on the student lists of the art academy, the connection of students in the community “Tartarus” can be concluded retrospectively in its effects on the academy studies.

In the case of divergent socio-political standpoints, different artistic conceptions, human problems, there was often a break within the community in the “Tartarus” group. The group membership implied for the most part wanting to hold the same opinions. Conflicts with those who think differently, the growing anti-Semitism and the Germanic-völkisch way of thinking had an impact on the academy. Depending on the attitudes of the teaching professors, this led to deviating grades and even to references from the academy, as well as to the exclusion of fellow students from the “Tartarus” association. For example, after a dispute between the avowed anti-Semite Friedrich Bindewald and Thomas Theodor Heine, he was expelled from the academy for a year and then moved to Munich.

Known members

Andreas Roegel's vulgo slim , drawing by Paul Schroeter , 1888

literature

  • Sabine Baumgärtel (Ed.): The Düsseldorf School of Painting and its international impact 1819–1918. Michael Imhof Verlag, Petersberg 2011, ISBN 978-3-86568-702-9 , Volume 1, ISBN 978-3-86568-702-9 , p. 46.
  • Gert Mannes: Tartarus. A student union at the Royal Art Academy in Düsseldorf and its statute from 1886. In: Einst und Jetzt. Yearbook of the Association for Corporate Student History Research. Association for corps student historical research e. V (self-published), 2010, pp. 171–181.
  • Roland Demme: From the rectory to anti-Semitic politics: agitation by Friedrich Bindewald and his role model Dr. Otto Böckel against the Jewish population in the Wilhelminian era and its effects until today. ISBN 3-86219-932-0 .
  • Chronicle of the Academic Artists' Association "Tartarus". In: Sabine Schroyen: Image sources on the history of the Malkasten Artists' Association in Düsseldorf: Artists and their works in the collections. Grupello-Verlag, 2001, ISBN 3-933749-82-4 , p. 506.
  • Thomas Theodor Heine: I am waiting for miracles. Ullstein, Frankfurt, 1980, ISBN 3-548-20094-X , p. 19 ff.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ P. Philippi: The small town and its people. Pictures, experiences, poems. Hädecke Verlag, Stuttgart 1938.
  2. ^ Stadtarchiv Düsseldorf: Registratur lila, Title IX Sect. 6 Nro 348 acts of the city of Düsseldorf. According to Gert Mannes (lit.)
  3. ↑ Hübner, Heinrich . In: Hans Vollmer (Hrsg.): General lexicon of fine artists from antiquity to the present . Founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker . tape 18 : Hubatsch – Ingouf . EA Seemann, Leipzig 1925, p. 46-47 .
  4. ↑ Murdfield, Carl . In: Hans Vollmer (Hrsg.): General lexicon of fine artists from antiquity to the present . Founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker . tape 25 : Moehring – Olivié . EA Seemann, Leipzig 1931.