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Tartete was an extremely secretive and close-knit group of approximately eight factory workers formed at the beginning of World War II. It is believed that the group derived their name from the German art exhibitions entitled Entartete Kunst meaning degenerate art. Only recently has some light had been shed on the mysterious and largely unknown art group, Tartete. They conducted underground meetings that occurred sporadically throughout the wars duration. Seeking to revolt against Hitlers' state, they found a place where they were able to act freely and express themselves. During the meetings it is thought that they performed a huge variety of performances that merging different mediums music and dance. No written or photographic records were kept of the meetings from fear of being discovered.

Founders of Tartete

The two founders of Tartete were husband and wife, Hans and Ines Übergriff. They had married in 1934, one year after the birth of their only child, Karl. Both of them worked together in the same factory in Hanover and, according to their son, were engaged with the art movements of the time such as Dada and Surrealism. After Karl was born, they moved into a small basement flat near Waldhausenstrasse. Little is known about personal lives of Hans and Ines, both of whom died during the last two years of World War II. Their son, Karl Übergriff, is the only surviving member of the Tartete group.

Meetings

It was in 1939 that set about finding a suitable meeting place for what would become a series of extraordinary gatherings. This was close to where the Schwitters family lived. Although not closely acquainted, they knew that Kurt Schwitters and his son had fled to Norway a couple of years earlier and that his wife, Helma, had stayed to look after their properties in Hanover. They met with Helma to discuss the possibility of holding the meetings at one of the houses. She agreed to let them hold meetings in her home. It is not known exactly why she allowed these meetings to be held there as she didn’t take part in them. She let Hans Ubergriff know whenever she was going to be out or away so they could conduct their meetings without any disturbance.

Karl Übergriff

Born in 1933, Karl was brought up in Hanover with his parents. He emigrated to England in the 50s where he sought to find German artist, Kurt Schwitters. people, it was only a few days after arriving in England that he found out that Kurt had passed away a few years earlier. Despite this he remained in England and is currently residing in Bristol.

The Tomb of Tete

Much like the group itself and their gatherings, the story behind this symbol of Tartete, known as the Tomb of Tete, has remained unclear until recently. It is the tomb of Hans Ṻbergriff, one of the co-founders of Tartete. He attempted to commit an unconventional suicide having discovered that the house of the Schwitters family had been destroyed by a bomb in 1943. Out of despair and what could be seen for him as a primitive and natural reaction, he started to encase himself in plaster in the remnants of the Merzbau.

External links

• A good essay on the Merzbau by Elizabeth Burns Gamard
• Entartete Kunst: Degenerate Art

Entartete Kunst Category:Dada