Hans Richter - a pioneer of functionalism in Saxony and Bohemia
Hans Richter (1882–1971) was one of the most radical representatives of modern architecture in Dresden. He came from Šluknov and left extraordinary buildings in his homeland as well. Nevertheless, both his work and life remain unknown on both sides of the border. This is rectified by the groundbreaking website, which was ceremonially launched by the Museum of the City of Ústí nad Labem in conjunction with the City Museum of Dresden at a press conference on Tuesday, June 8, at 1:30 PM, after a year-long international research project. The event took place in the stylish setting of Heller Villa on Roosevelt Street 1815/4 in Ústí nad Labem, which is one of the most charming works of the prominent creator.
"He was the first to advocate flat roofs in northern Bohemia, doing so in 1927 on villas in Šluknov and Varnsdorf. In Krásná Lípa, he built perhaps the largest functionalist villa in the republic, and the hall of the local textile factory, nicknamed the greenhouse, can compete with the progressiveness of the architecture of the Trade Fair Palace in Prague. Yet the name Hans Richter is hardly known in the history of Czechoslovak architecture," noted Martin Krsek, a co-author of the website on the Czech side and a historian from Ústí. The architect is somewhat better known in Dresden. Some of his realizations there, such as the modern Trachau housing estate or the iconic water tower in Hellerau, have been protected by the state as a monument for many years. "Since Richter's documents were destroyed in February 1945 during the bombing of Dresden, the availability of sources is very difficult. They are scattered among former builders or in archives. Even photographs of his face were known from only one available portrait," commented Claudia Quiring, a historian from the Dresden museum and a co-author from the Saxon side, on the challenges of research. The website presents the architect's biography, a list of his identified works, and especially an overview of all preserved realizations, including descriptions, photographs, and drawings. It also includes a map of their locations for those who wish to see them in person.
In Germany, it was possible to identify seven buildings, located in Dresden and Berlin. In Bohemia, six were known before the project started, all in the Ústí Region. “Colleagues from Germany sent me a drawing of an interesting villa from a period magazine that was supposed to stand in Vilémov near Rumburk. When I went to this village, I immediately found three buildings uniquely shaped by Hans Richter,” Krsek added. None of the nine Czech realizations by Richter are currently protected as monuments. The creators of the website succeeded in discovering not only unknown buildings but also a range of details from the dramatic life of the Czech-German architect, marked by the Nazi regime and the expulsion of Germans. We expect that launching the website will yield further leads for research, and we will conclude it with a book.
"He was the first to advocate flat roofs in northern Bohemia, doing so in 1927 on villas in Šluknov and Varnsdorf. In Krásná Lípa, he built perhaps the largest functionalist villa in the republic, and the hall of the local textile factory, nicknamed the greenhouse, can compete with the progressiveness of the architecture of the Trade Fair Palace in Prague. Yet the name Hans Richter is hardly known in the history of Czechoslovak architecture," noted Martin Krsek, a co-author of the website on the Czech side and a historian from Ústí. The architect is somewhat better known in Dresden. Some of his realizations there, such as the modern Trachau housing estate or the iconic water tower in Hellerau, have been protected by the state as a monument for many years. "Since Richter's documents were destroyed in February 1945 during the bombing of Dresden, the availability of sources is very difficult. They are scattered among former builders or in archives. Even photographs of his face were known from only one available portrait," commented Claudia Quiring, a historian from the Dresden museum and a co-author from the Saxon side, on the challenges of research. The website presents the architect's biography, a list of his identified works, and especially an overview of all preserved realizations, including descriptions, photographs, and drawings. It also includes a map of their locations for those who wish to see them in person.
In Germany, it was possible to identify seven buildings, located in Dresden and Berlin. In Bohemia, six were known before the project started, all in the Ústí Region. “Colleagues from Germany sent me a drawing of an interesting villa from a period magazine that was supposed to stand in Vilémov near Rumburk. When I went to this village, I immediately found three buildings uniquely shaped by Hans Richter,” Krsek added. None of the nine Czech realizations by Richter are currently protected as monuments. The creators of the website succeeded in discovering not only unknown buildings but also a range of details from the dramatic life of the Czech-German architect, marked by the Nazi regime and the expulsion of Germans. We expect that launching the website will yield further leads for research, and we will conclude it with a book.
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