Gustav August Munzer
Encyclopedia
Gustav August Munzer was a German architect. Munzer grew up on a farm near Föritz
in southern Thuringia
. He received his basic education in the small settlement of Mupperg, and later became a bricklayer, working on several construction sites in the area. After becoming a trained stonecutter
he visited the Baugewerbeschule in Coburg
from 1904 till 1907. He worked for the architect Willrath in Flensburg
in 1907 and 1908, and then for the architect Thaysen in Tondern.
In 1910, he started studying at the Kunstgewerbeschule (school of arts and crafts) in Düsseldorf
, where Wilhelm Kreis
was professor at that time. Having graduated in 1913, Munzer planned several buildings in Düsseldorf, and during the First World War he also did planning for industry buildings. In 1915 he married. In the 1920s he also worked in the Netherlands
planning, including shipyards in Rotterdam
.
In December 1926, Munzer participated in a contest held by the Bund Deutscher Marineverein for the design of the Laboe Naval Memorial
near Kiel
. He was declared the winner of the contest on 15 May 1927 although his design concept, a 72 meter tall tower, was considered too expensive. The cornerstone for the memorial was laid on 8 August 1927, but it took until 1929 for the formal starting of the tower's construction. The tower was finished in the summer of 1930, and then the construction of the memorial was stopped for three years. Following the completion of the memorial, the opening ceremony was held on 30 May 1936. Apart from the opening ceremony, no official Nazi events were held at the site.
The monument was confiscated by the British Army after World War II
. In 1954, it was transferred back to the Bund Deutscher Marineverein, and Munzer was responsible for its restoration and modification. In addition, he was also continuing his work as an architect until 1970. Munzer died in Düsseldorf on 23 August 1973.
Föritz
Föritz is a municipality in the Sonneberg district of Thuringia, Germany.-References:...
in southern Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
. He received his basic education in the small settlement of Mupperg, and later became a bricklayer, working on several construction sites in the area. After becoming a trained stonecutter
Stonecutter
A Stonecutter is a person who carries on the trade of stonecutting or stonemasonry.Stonecutter or Stonecutters may also refer to:* Stonecutter, one of twelve magical Swords in the Books of the Swords series...
he visited the Baugewerbeschule in Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
from 1904 till 1907. He worked for the architect Willrath in Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
in 1907 and 1908, and then for the architect Thaysen in Tondern.
In 1910, he started studying at the Kunstgewerbeschule (school of arts and crafts) in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, where Wilhelm Kreis
Wilhelm Kreis
Wilhelm Kreis was a prominent German architect and professor of architecture, active through four political systems in German history: the Wilhelmine era, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the foundation of the Federal Republic.Kreis was born in Eltville am Rhein in Hesse-Nassau...
was professor at that time. Having graduated in 1913, Munzer planned several buildings in Düsseldorf, and during the First World War he also did planning for industry buildings. In 1915 he married. In the 1920s he also worked in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
planning, including shipyards in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
.
In December 1926, Munzer participated in a contest held by the Bund Deutscher Marineverein for the design of the Laboe Naval Memorial
Laboe Naval Memorial
The Laboe Naval Memorial is a memorial located in Laboe, near Kiel, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Started in 1927 and completed in 1936, the monument originally memorialized the World War I war dead of the Kaiserliche Marine, with the Kriegsmarine dead of World War II being added after 1945...
near Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
. He was declared the winner of the contest on 15 May 1927 although his design concept, a 72 meter tall tower, was considered too expensive. The cornerstone for the memorial was laid on 8 August 1927, but it took until 1929 for the formal starting of the tower's construction. The tower was finished in the summer of 1930, and then the construction of the memorial was stopped for three years. Following the completion of the memorial, the opening ceremony was held on 30 May 1936. Apart from the opening ceremony, no official Nazi events were held at the site.
The monument was confiscated by the British Army after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1954, it was transferred back to the Bund Deutscher Marineverein, and Munzer was responsible for its restoration and modification. In addition, he was also continuing his work as an architect until 1970. Munzer died in Düsseldorf on 23 August 1973.