Schatten Reich

Modernism in the Shadow of National Socialism

Our understanding of German art in the 1930s and 1940s remains strongly shaped by the Nazi campaign against so-called “degenerate art”. The regime used this term to denounce almost the entire artistic avant-garde of the early twentieth century, whose work did not conform to its ideological vision of Aryan, naturalistic art. Nevertheless, German modernism did not come to an end in 1933. Instead, it continued to develop away from public view.

By the mid-1930s, artists who continued to work in abstract styles in defiance of the Nazi doctrine of aesthetic conformity risked serious consequences. These included exhibition bans and dismissal from public office. Faced with increasing political repression, many artists felt compelled to downplay their artistic activities, abandon their work altogether or seek refuge in exile to protect themselves and their art.

Artistic Practice Between Conformity and Persecution

The exhibition begins by introducing selected artists who left Germany after 1933, including Kurt Schwitters, Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky. Its main focus, however, is on those who remained in the country and continued their artistic practice despite the Nazi condemnation of modernism.

Their commitment to abstraction was rarely intended as a deliberate act of resistance against Nazi cultural policy. Instead, their decisions were shaped by a wide range of personal and artistic motivations.

The Diversity of Abstract Art During the Nazi Era

The exhibition reveals the remarkable variety of abstract artistic expression that continued to flourish in Germany under National Socialist rule. The works on display range from the mythical abstractions of Willi Baumeister and Fritz Winter to the expressive compositions of Alexej von Jawlensky and Jeanne Mammen, as well as the experimental photography of Marta Hoepffner.

Further perspectives are provided by Karl Hartung’s organic sculptures, Woty Werner’s abstract textile works and the geometric constructions of Dresden-based artist Hermann Glöckner and former Bauhaus artist Ella Bergmann-Michel. Together, these works illustrate the diversity of abstract art that persisted in Germany despite political repression.

• Curated by Maike Steinkamp and Florian Illies
• Curatorial Assistant: Noor van Rooijen
• Exhibition Coordination: Luna Mignani

This project was supported by: Willi Baumeister Foundation (exhibition), German National Foundation / Zeit Bucerius Foundation (education program), Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation (catalog), Berthold Leibinger Foundation (exhibition), Ernst von Siemens Art Foundation (exhibition)

• A special exhibition of the National Gallery – State Museums of Berlin