Historical documents shed light on the roots of the Osthaus Museum in Hagen

Historical documents shed light on the roots of the Osthaus Museum in Hagen

On July 22, 2025, the FernUniversität in Hagen handed over historical documents to the Osthaus Museum. These important documents provide deeper insights into the history of the museum location at Hochstrasse 73 and into the Hohenhagen artists' colony. The documents were created by Renate Seiler and Katrin Münzel in the estate of Dr. Friedrich Boecker discovered, which served as a collection point for valuable historical materials.

The estate, known as the “Westphalian Migratory Bird Archive”, has been owned by the FernUniversität since 1992. The Hagen University Library had previously taken over the extensive estate, with a book collection between 1997 and 2011 being incorporated into the library holdings. Parts of the estate were also integrated into the FernUniversität archive. The documents discovered include a mortgage note and a loan deed from 1906 signed by Karl Ernst Osthaus. These documents prove the financing of the purchase of land for the Osthaus Museum and provide valuable information about the Hohenhagen villa colony.

Importance for cultural heritage

The official handover of the documents took place in the Osthaus Museum, led by Prof. Dr. Stefan Stuermer, Rector of the FernUniversität. At this event, museum director Prof. Dr. Rainer Stamm described the significance of the documents for the museum and for the cultural heritage of the city of Hagen. Sturm also highlighted the valuable cultural exchange between the FernUniversität and the museum. Renate Seiler, the technical director of the archive, expressed her joy at the return of the documents to their place of origin.

Karl Ernst Osthaus, the founder of the Hagen Museum, would have celebrated his 150th birthday in 2023. In honor of Osthaus, various exhibitions and events are organized in the Osthaus Museum. These include the exhibition “Influencers without Insta & Co.” (#KEO150), which will be on view until January 12, 2025, and “A Journey into the Collectors Universe of Karl Ernst Osthaus,” which runs until January 19, 2025.

Osthaus and its legacy

Osthaus, a banker's son, was known for his collections of scientific objects, decorative arts and contemporary art. He promoted cultural education projects and supported contemporary artists. The Hohenhagen villa colony, which was founded by Osthaus in 1906, was designed as an “open-air museum of modern building culture”. The outstanding Art Nouveau building Hohenhof, in which Osthaus lived, was designed by Henry van de Velde and is now an important architectural monument.

As part of the remembrance of Osthaus, the museum offers public tours on the history of the Hagen Folkwang Museum, which existed from 1902 to 1922. These tours are an opportunity for those interested to learn more about the innovative cultural history of the region.

The cultural-historical perspective plays a crucial role in researching and dealing with such topics. Interdisciplinary approaches to cultural history combine how they incorporate both micro and macro perspectives. This methodology makes it possible to examine historical actors in the context of higher-level social structures. With its collections and exhibitions, the Osthaus Museum makes a significant contribution to cultural-historical research and the preservation of heritage.