Willi Geismeier

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Willi Geismeier (born April 4, 1934 in Halle (Saale) , † August 2, 2007 in Berlin ) was a German art historian .

Life

From 1966 to 1975 and again from 1983 to 1985 Willi Geismeier was director of the German National Gallery in Berlin (State Museums). The contemporary art created in the GDR was supported by him by buying many pieces for the gallery. He became unpopular with the institutions of the GDR because he stood up for artists who were not on the official line. In addition, expressionist art, Bauhaus art, works of the New Objectivity and pieces of "proletarian revolutionary art" were purchased under his aegis , closing gaps in the collection. But purchases of modern, new GDR art were the largest item among the new acquisitions. When he did not comply with the request to sell works of art for foreign exchange to capitalist foreign countries, he could no longer maintain his position.

In response to political pressure, after his second dismissal from this post, he went to the Humboldt University in Berlin as a professor and used his practical knowledge in art research and teaching. Geismeier was a member of the art history seminar at the Humboldt University in Berlin until 1999.

Geismeier not only supported modern national art, but also dealt with the art of the 19th and especially the 20th century. Especially in large programmatic exhibitions he was able to make a contribution to these art epochs. In 1968 he organized German realistic sculpture in the XX. Century , 1972 style art around 1900 in Germany and 1974 realism and objectivity. Aspects of German Art 1919–1933 . Since 1972 he has also organized various smaller exhibitions under the label "Studio" exhibitions .

tomb

Geismeier lived in Berlin-Pankow until his death . His resting place is in the French cemetery in Berlin-Mitte.

Geismeier's first marriage was to Irene Geismeier , with whom he had three sons. He died of heart failure in 2007 at the age of 73.

Fonts

  • Drawings of German romantics. National Gallery - Collection of Drawings . State Museums in Berlin, Berlin 1964
  • German art 19./20. Century (Altes Museum - Nationalgalerie). State Museums in Berlin, Berlin 1966.
  • Paintings, sculptures and drawings from the 19th century. (National Gallery) State Museums in Berlin, Berlin 1968.
  • Max Lingner . (Biography). Leipzig: VEB Bibliographical Institute, 1968.
  • with Heinz Begenau: Theo Balden - Sculpture and Graphics (National Gallery). State Museums in Berlin, Berlin 1970.
  • with Claude Keisch: Art of style around 1900 in Germany, copper trade museum, copper engraving cabinet and collections of drawings. State Museums in Berlin, Berlin 1972
  • Caspar David Friedrich . EA Seemann , Leipzig 1973/1998; Weltbild, Augsburg 1994 ISBN 3-89350-721-3
  • Editor: From Courbet to Cézanne. French painting 1848–1886; a comment . National Gallery, Berlin 1982
  • Horrors of War (artistic testimony from three centuries) Studio exhibition Nationalgalerie in the Altes Museum, May to June 1983. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin 1983
  • The painting of the German Romantics. VEB Verlag der Kunst, Dresden 1984; at the same time Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1984
  • Biedermeier, The image of Biedermeier. Time and culture of the Biedermeier period. Art and artistic life of the Biedermeier period. Seemann, Leipzig 1979 and 1986
  • Biedermeier. Arts and Culture. Three lilies, Wiesbaden oaJ
  • Daniel Chodowicki , Berlin Kupferstichkabinett. Seemann, Leipzig 1993
  • with Antje Huwendiek: About original forms. Studies on the analysis of elementary signs. (Master thesis)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Brave director . In: FAZ , August 15, 2007
  2. ↑ Final farewell . In: Berliner Zeitung , August 8, 2007; obituary
  3. ^ Willi Geismeier: Director of East Berlin's National Gallery who defended modern art against the GDR regime , The Times , August 30, 2007
  4. ↑ Berlin ex-museum director Willi Geismeier has died , Berliner Morgenpost , August 15, 2007
personal data
SURNAME Geismeier, Willi
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German art historian and director of the German National Gallery in Berlin
DATE OF BIRTH April 4, 1934
PLACE OF BIRTH Halle (Saale)
DATE OF DEATH August 2, 2007
Place of death Berlin