Paul Schmitthenner

Paul Schmitthenner
Born	15 December 1884 Lauterburg, Elsass-Lothringen, German Empire
Died	11 November 1972 Munich, West Germany
Nationality	German
Alma mater	Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, Technical University of Munich
Occupation	Architect
Spouse(s)	Marie Charlotte, geb. Schütz, Elisabeth Prüß
Children	Martin, Hansjörg, Barbara, Johannes

Paul Schmitthenner (born Lauterburg, Elsass-Lothringen, Germany 15 December 1884 – 11 November 1972) was a German architect, city planner and Professor at the University of Stuttgart.

During Nazi Germany, Schmitthenner was one of Adolf Hitler's architects.

Early life and education

He studied at the Technische Hochschulen of Karlsruhe and Munich and later became a Professor at the University of Stuttgart, where he formed together with Paul Bonatz the architectural style of the Stuttgart School.

Architecture

His belief that the traditional methods and styles in architecture revealed best the German character led to his appointment as expert group leader for fine arts in the Kampfbund. He believed that Schönheit ruht in Ordnung (German: "Beauty lies in (geometric) order"). Schmitthenner was in open opposition to modern architects like Walter Gropius. For him, Goethe's cottage at Weimar was still the ideal type of the German residential building. However, despite official approval, his enthusiasm did not bring many large commissions.

He had to leave his chair at the University after the war without a pension and worked as an architect till the end of his life. In Stuttgart, he built the "Königin-Olga-Bau" for the Dresdner Bank in 1950.

Works

Baugestaltung. Das Deutsche Wohnhaus, 1932.

• 
  Königin-Olga-Bau in Stuttgart
• 
  Villa Zerweck in the Feuerbacher Heide
• 
  The villa for the Roser family of factory owners (Villa Roser)
• 
  Works housing estate Piesteritz
• 
  Main building of the Bourdon German war cemetery

See also

• Nazi architecture

External links

• Paul Schmitthenner at archINFORM
• Review of the book by Voigt/Frank by Stella Hoepner-Fillies
• Restoration of the "architect's garden" by Paul Schmitthenner, Am Fischtal 4
• Bericht über die Werkschau im Deutschen Architekturmuseum. In: Die Welt. 17. September 2003.