Wilhelm Götze (puppeteer)

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Wilhelm Götze , called Father Götze , (born February 2, 1871 in Großwusterwitz , Jerichow II district , † June 14, 1954 in Brandenburg an der Havel ) was a German puppeteer .

Wilhelm Götze grew up in poor circumstances. His father died before he was born, and his mother had a small income by delivering bread as a "bread woman". He completed an apprenticeship as a tailor in Genthin and Helmstedt , which he broke off to go hiking. He toured Germany, Switzerland , Italy , France , Austria and the Netherlands . Eventually he ended up at the circus , worked for ten years as a groom and patch cutter, and then performed as a clown and artist . From 1893 to 1895 he had to serve in the Imperial Penal Regiment because he had failed to take up military service. In 1898 he married his wife Auguste from Ziesar , who had worked as a maid in Berlin . The marriage had six children, four boys and two girls.

In February 1895 Götze appeared for the first time with his own puppet theater in Großwusterwitz. Just as he was nicknamed Father Gotze , his wife was called Mother Gotze , who worked with five of the children in the family business. Wilhelm Götze carved the figures while his wife and children sewed the clothes for the dolls. The puppet theater toured with a dog and later a covered wagon with a horse through villages and towns in Mecklenburg , Brandenburg, Altmark and Harz . After 1910 the family traveled around with a motorized caravan and a stage wagon.

Baptismal font created by Wilhelm Götze in the village church of Viesen

During the First World War , Wilhelm Götze was drafted into military service against his publicly expressed will. In 1918 he founded the "Universal Artists Group, the Götze Family", and the program was expanded to include music and artistry. In 1922 Götze received state recognition as an artist and puppet player, but from 1930 no longer went on tour with the family himself, but stayed in Wusterwitz and carved figures. In the course of his life he made around 200 dolls, including a larger than life monument dedicated to his mother. For the radar artist Paul Z'dun , who also lived in Wusterwitz , he created a witch's head that he used for his appearances. Götze carved a wooden baptismal font for the village church in Viesen . Götze's sons continued to run the puppet theater until 1958.

Wilhelm Götze created an idyll, called Götzes Höh , on his property on the Wusterwitzer See with self-made curious and folk art carvings and figures , which became a popular excursion destination. A disused caravan served as an apartment. Götze led the visitors around his property and told anecdotes and stories. Father Götze was considered an " original " in his hometown . He was buried in a coffin he had carved himself.

Commemoration

The Wilhelm Götze primary school in Wusterwitz

In the local history museum of Wusterwitz, Wilhelm Götze is remembered as part of a permanent exhibition by the Wusterwitzer Heimat- und Kulturverein . The local elementary school is named after him, and in 2014 a plaque for him was unveiled in the local cemetery. Grave slabs carved by Götze himself for his wife and himself are exhibited in the museum in Brandenburg.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Wusterwitz. (PDF) Retrieved April 6, 2015 .
  2. ↑ a b c d Götze, Wilhelm. In: uni-magdeburg.de. Retrieved April 5, 2015 .
  3. ↑ Michael Mertins: A radarist with body and soul. The eventful artist life of Paul Z'dun from Harbke . In: Association of historical bicycles (ed.): The bone shaker. Magazine for lovers of historic bicycles . Issue 59, No. 1/2015 , p. 15th f .
  4. ↑ Information board 4 Colorful village path .
  5. ↑ Amt Wusterwitz - permanent exhibition “100 years of Wusterwitz history” in the former sexton's house. In: amt-wusterwitz.de. September 11, 2011, accessed April 6, 2015 .
  6. ↑ High visit to Wusterwitz. In: landbote.com. Retrieved April 6, 2015 .
  7. ^ Märkische Allgemeine, Potsdam, Brandenburg ,: Heimat- und Kulturverein looks back on ten years - from the Wusterwitz exhibition to the Götze memorial plaque. In: maz-online.de. November 22, 2014, accessed April 6, 2015 .
personal data
SURNAME Gotze, Wilhelm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Father Gotze (nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German puppeteer
DATE OF BIRTH February 2, 1871
PLACE OF BIRTH Großwusterwitz
DATE OF DEATH June 14, 1954
Place of death Brandenburg