Willi Veit

Willi Veit (* 1904 in Überlingen , † 1980 in Lindau ) was a German sculptor .

Artistic career

Veit studied sculpture in Karlsruhe until 1936 and took part in the 1929 World Exhibition in Barcelona for Germany . Veit returned from the world exhibition with high awards and international recognition. Study trips to Italy, France and Spain followed. Filled with the impressions of great occidental culture, the Überlingen-born sculptor created new works of Christian art. During the time of National Socialism , Veit withdrew from the public. During this time, many sculptural figures were created who are shaped by his Christian ethical attitude and express his rejection of the political development and desperation about what was happening.

In August 1949, Willi Veit and his friend, the painter Gustav Gulde , showed the works from previous years in the lounge of the old town hall. At the first Swabian art exhibitions in Augsburg and the Allgäu weeks, his works received the greatest attention. In 1953 the sculptor was commissioned by Dominikus Zimmermann to create a two-meter high Easter candlestick for the pilgrimage church in the Wies . Two years later, the Franklin Institute, under the direction of the Director of the Graphic Collection Dr. Erwin Gradmann a large exhibition with Veit's works. He designed schools, fountains, churches, grave monuments, public and private buildings inside and out. As with all of his work, it is mainly religious work. But profane reliefs and sculptures, which are in private ownership and in public collections, have also emerged from his hand.

Veit also designed the Lindau rush spirits in 1963. The so-called Narrenhäs , which is based on down-to-earth customs and symbolizes the rushes on the shores of Lake Constance, was sketched on paper in the living room at home and later sewn by his wife Magdalena Veit and various “little helpers”. The individual appearances, the first in 1964, at various carnival balls of the Veit family in Lindau and the surrounding area quickly attracted a great deal of attention. Today the Lindau rush spirits are an integral part of the groups of fools in the Swabian-Alemannic carnival, the Lindau fools' guild .

Works

• Side portals of the parish church Altach