Georg Kolbe - The Artist and National Socialism : Breaks and Continuities in Life, Work and Reception

Georg Kolbe (1877-1947), one of the most important sculptors of the first half of the 20th century in Germany, was an important representative of classical modernism. However, his activities during National Socialism have not yet been fully explored. With the receipt of an extensive estate from the bequest of Kolbe's late granddaughter Maria von Tiesenhausen in 2019, it is now possible to gain more precise research perspectives. In 2021 the Georg Kolbe Museum initiated a research project and invited art historians to critically access the new materials. Numerous art historians accepted the invitation of the Georg Kolbe Museum to examine the mainly written material, which was created from 1933 to the post-war period. The results are presented in this publication and offer new insights into Georg Kolbe's activities on the art market, his dealings with public and private clients, his participation in exhibitions, his political contacts as well as his self-promotion strategies between 1933-45. The volume thus offers a new basis for the examination of artists' biographies during National Socialism and encourages more in-depth research.