Willi Illig

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Willi Illig (born January 11, 1897 in Herold ; † March 16, 1971 ) was a German stocking maker , wood carver , watercolor painter and art collector .

Life

Willi Illig came from a very simple background and a large family from the Saxon Erzgebirge . As a toddler he lost his father, the breadwinner of the family. After the turn of the century, he moved with his mother and numerous siblings to the industrial village of Auerbach (Erzgebirge), only a few kilometers away from Herold . Through child labor, he contributed to his family's livelihood through stocking grooves and spools of thread.

After attending the eight-class elementary school in Auerbach, Willi Illig became a pusher in one of the numerous stocking-weaving factories in Auerbach. After gaining practical experience, he became a stocking knitter and was able to operate one of the large cotton machines. He joined the German Textile Workers' Association at an early stage. For several years he was chairman of the works council in the stocking factory where he was employed at the time. Later he joined the workers' education association. He began to build up his own library, in which he also included works of art history and biographies.

In his free time he autodidactically acquired drawing and painting as well as wood carving. He especially loved motifs from his environment. He took part in exhibitions with some of his own works, such as the Central Saxon Art Exhibition. In addition to his own works, he began collecting works of art by others. The first graphic sheet he bought was, for example, a self-portrait by Käthe Kollwitz , with whom he also corresponded about it. He also acquired some works that the National Socialists designated as Degenerate Art . He created one of the largest private collections of fine arts of the twenties in the Ore Mountains at that time. In 1966 it comprised over 1000, often hand-signed graphics, watercolors and paintings as well as a few sculptures.

Some pieces in his collection were sold after his death in 1971. The collection was shown to the public for the first time in 2012.

literature

  • Karl Gerlach: Willi Illig - 70 years . In: Der Heimatfreund for the Erzgebirge , 12, 1967, No. 1, pp. 17-18.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Karl Gerlach: Willi Illig - 70 years . In: Der Heimatfreund für das Erzgebirge , 12, 1967, No. 1, p. 18.
  2. ^ New Germany , edition of September 24, 1966
  3. ↑ Freie Presse , edition of January 10, 2012
personal data
SURNAME Illig, Willi
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German stocking maker, carver and art collector
DATE OF BIRTH January 11, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Herald
DATE OF DEATH March 16, 1971