| KÄTHE KOLLWITZ |
| Soon after the start of the First World War, her son, Peter joined the German Army. He was killed on October 22, 1914 at Diksmuide on the Western Front. During the Second World War, her grandson was killed while fighting for the German Army on the Eastern Front. Käthe Kollwitz lived and worked for more than 50 years in Berlin. On her flight from Allied bomb attacks, which destroyed her home and most of her life's work in 1943, she was invited by Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony to Moritzburg, a short distance from Dresden, which was also soon annihilated in a series of devastating fire bombings. Even more of her work, which was in place in the city, was lost. She died shortly before the end of Second World War on April 22, 1945. |
Rape Kathe Kollwitz
Kollwitz lived in the old Berlin district called "Prenzlauer Berg", formerly known as the "Feldmark" at the corner of
Knaackstrasse and Weissenburger Strasse (later Kollwitzstrasse) until her house was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1943.
On the same night, the entire Weissenburger/ Belforter/Strassburger/Metzer roads area went up in flames from the attack.
After 1945, the Russian secret service kept one of its huge detention facility on the Prenzlauer Avenue, which from the start
rounded up not simply ringleaders and "war criminals", but anyone they regarded as uttering "anti-soviet expressions". These
detention centers developed quickly as part of the repressive Soviet system. The detention cellar in the Prenzlauer avenue
was taken over by the Ministry for public security of the GDR in 1950 and remained in use until at least 1956.
Knaackstrasse and Weissenburger Strasse (later Kollwitzstrasse) until her house was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1943.
On the same night, the entire Weissenburger/ Belforter/Strassburger/Metzer roads area went up in flames from the attack.
After 1945, the Russian secret service kept one of its huge detention facility on the Prenzlauer Avenue, which from the start
rounded up not simply ringleaders and "war criminals", but anyone they regarded as uttering "anti-soviet expressions". These
detention centers developed quickly as part of the repressive Soviet system. The detention cellar in the Prenzlauer avenue
was taken over by the Ministry for public security of the GDR in 1950 and remained in use until at least 1956.
| Weissenburger Strasse about 1900, above laft. Right, the bombed out neighborhood looks at the Berlin Wall |
The Birthplace of Kollwitz
It seems almost prophetic that Kollwitz was a native of East Prussia, a land that is no more. Few locations saw as much
human suffering in wartime as the inhabitants of East Prussia, particularly the women and children. Greatly damaged in
World War One after being severed by the victorious Allies from its cultural and ethnic roots in greater Germany, many
citizens relocated in the post war years. For those who stayed in their homeland, World War Two brought horrendous
violence and cruelty from the invading Red Army, including the biggest mass rape in history.
human suffering in wartime as the inhabitants of East Prussia, particularly the women and children. Greatly damaged in
World War One after being severed by the victorious Allies from its cultural and ethnic roots in greater Germany, many
citizens relocated in the post war years. For those who stayed in their homeland, World War Two brought horrendous
violence and cruelty from the invading Red Army, including the biggest mass rape in history.
Käthe Schmidt knew heartache and agony. She was born in
Königsberg, East Prussia, the daughter of a well to do mason.
She attended The Berlin School of Art in 1884 and later studied
in Munich. After her marriage to Dr. Karl Kollwitz in 1891, the
couple settled in Berlin, living in a poor section of the city where
her husband set up his practise, and they had two sons.
Königsberg, East Prussia, the daughter of a well to do mason.
She attended The Berlin School of Art in 1884 and later studied
in Munich. After her marriage to Dr. Karl Kollwitz in 1891, the
couple settled in Berlin, living in a poor section of the city where
her husband set up his practise, and they had two sons.