The First World War marked a significant turning point for museums in many respects, which is analysed and presented here for the first time in a source-critical manner. The contributions shed light on the activities of selected collections and the role of individual museum directors. The effects on everyday museum life in Berlin and war-related historical and political events are examined as examples, such as the forced return of the Ghent Altarpiece from the Gemäldegalerie as a German reparation payment, which impressively illustrate the consequences of the First World War for the now Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (National Museums in Berlin)
The beginning of the First World War hit the Royal Museums in Berlin in the middle of a phase of urgently needed reorganisation and restructuring of the collections: After the growth in the Wilhelmine era, two museum buildings were still under construction, the speedy completion of which was prevented by the war. Numerous museum employees were called up for military service, including directors and scientists who were deployed on the various fronts of the war to protect cultural artefacts or excavation sites.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Grabowski, J./Winter, P. (Hrsg.)
Title
Zum Kriegsdienst einberufen. Die Königlichen Museen zu Berlin und der Erste Weltkrieg
Details
Approx. 50 bw-illustrations. 184 pages.
State
new
Böhlau Verlag Ursulaplatz 1 50668 Köln Deutschland
