Florentine Anders inspires with a reading about Hermann Henselmann in Weimar!

Florentine Anders inspires with a reading about Hermann Henselmann in Weimar!

On March 26, 2025, the International Heritage Center of the Bauhaus University Weimar invites you to a special event in the university library. From 7.30 p.m. the author Florentine Anders will be talking about her new novel“The Avenue”read. This takes up the life of her grandfather Hermann Henselmann, one of the most important architects in the GDR and a defining figure of East Modernism. The conversation will be led by Prof. Dr. Daniela Spiegel and Dr. Bianka Trötschel-Daniels will moderate the topics of Bauhaus ideas and the architecture of the GDR with Anders. The event will have pay-what-you-can entry and box office only available.

Hermann Henselmann, born in 1905, was known not only for the design of striking buildings such as Stalinallee (now Karl-Marx-Allee) and the Berlin TV Tower, but also for his role in the development of modern architecture in the GDR. His career was characterized by political adjustments and creative visions, which at times imposed significant limitations on him. Henselmann had to frequently change his designs to meet the requirements of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). In contemporary perception, he was both a charismatic visionary and a strict family man whose relationship with his children was characterized by a tension between respect and fear.

Insights into family life

The novel“The Avenue”not only illuminates Henselmann's professional achievements, but also provides personal insights into his family life, which was characterized by love, jealousy and betrayal. Henselmann and his wife Isi, herself an architect, founded a large family with eight children. Her daughter Isa continually sought her own path, away from her father's strict expectations. Florentine Anders tells these stories from the perspective of her grandmother Irene von Bamberg (Isi) and her aunt Isa, vividly depicting the dynamics within the family and the effects of the political framework in the GDR.

The novel's plot spans a remarkable period from 1931 to Henselmann's death in 1995 and includes various historical eras. Anders' narrative combines personal memories and historical facts to provide a deep insight into the architectural history of the GDR. The novel was originally conceived as a non-fiction book, but was transformed to get closer to the characters and their conflicts. While Henselmann's dazzling career comes to an end, the story simultaneously opens up an examination of the country's history and the development of its architecture.

Architecture in the GDR and the influence of Henselmann

The architecture of the GDR was diverse and was subject to constant political and economic influences. The 1950s were characterized by socialist classicism, as can be seen in the example of the Frankfurter Tor in Berlin. Henselmann's designs were often criticized for being too modernistic, resulting in many of them having to be modified. The focus on cost-effective construction led to the industrialization of construction and the creation of standard buildings that were oriented towards the needs of mass housing. Between 1949 and 1989, around 3 million housing units were built in the GDR, 1.5 million of which were prefabricated buildings.

Henselmann was not just an architect, but a symbol of the connection between politics, society and urban planning in the GDR. He was significantly involved in the design of the social housing structure and, despite the political guidelines, maintained a certain amount of freedom for people-friendly housing concepts. His architecture is still perceived as part of the cultural heritage of the new federal states, even if the architecture of the GDR is often viewed critically.

On March 26, 2025, Florentine Anders will make another important contribution to the examination of the building history of the GDR with her reading and the subsequent conversation and will focus on the importance of Hermann Henselmann. Further information about the event can be found on the Website of the University of Weimar.