Ferdinand Kramer
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Ferdinand Kramer (22 January 1898,
Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
, Germany – 4 November 1985, Frankfurt) was a German architect and functionalist designer.


Biography

Kramer's father was owner of the most well-known of Frankfurt hat shops. In 1916, immediately after conclusion of school, Kramer was drawn into military service and remained a soldier through the end of the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. The following year he trained at the
Bauhaus The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the , was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined Decorative arts, crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., ...
for a few months before quitting, disillusioned with the technical level of the training, then began a three-year architectural study in
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
with
Theodor Fischer Theodor Fischer (28 May 1862 – 25 December 1938) was a German architect and teacher. Career Fischer planned public housing projects for the city of Munich beginning in 1893. He was the joint founder and first chairman of the Deutscher W ...
. Kramer returned to Frankfurt in 1922. With the lack of architectural commissions during this period of inflation, he concentrated on furniture designs for
Thonet Thonet is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anne Bonnet, née Thonet (1908–1960), Belgian painter * Michael Thonet (1796–1871), German–Austrian cabinet maker ** Gebrüder Thonet Gebrüder Thonet or the Thonet Brothers ...
and metal utensils, for example his "Kramer Oven", a sheet-metal furnace. From 1925 through 1930, Kramer worked for architect and civic planner
Ernst May Ernst Georg May (27 July 1886 – 11 September 1970) was a German architect and city planner. May successfully applied urban design techniques to the city of Frankfurt am Main during the Weimar Republic period, and in 1930 less successful ...
building and furnishing the housing projects of
New Frankfurt New Frankfurt (German: ''Neues Frankfurt'') was an affordable public housing program in Frankfurt started in 1925 and completed in 1930. It was also the name of the accompanying magazine that was published from 1926 to 1931 dedicated to intern ...
, and was a contributor to the second CIAM conference. After disputes with the Nazi regime and professional disqualification, Kramer emigrated to the United States in 1938 and worked on a variety of projects, including work with
Norman bel Geddes Norman Bel Geddes (born Norman Melancton Geddes; April 27, 1893 – May 8, 1958) was an American theatrical and industrial designer, described in 2012 by the New York Times as "a brilliant craftsman and draftsman, a master of style, the 20t ...
on designs for the New York World's Fair of 1939, designs for inexpensive "knock-down" furniture which anticipate today's commercial "flat-pack" furniture, and commissions from his friend
Theodor Adorno Theodor is a masculine given name. It is a German form of Theodore. It is also a variant of Teodor. List of people with the given name Theodor * Theodor Adorno, (1903–1969), German philosopher * Theodor Aman, Romanian painter * Theodor Blue ...
for the
Institute for Social Research Institute for Social Research may refer to: * Norwegian Institute for Social Research, a private research institute in Oslo, Norway * University of Frankfurt Institute for Social Research, a research institute in Frankfurt, Germany * University of ...
during its New York years. Kramer became a naturalized US citizen in 1945. On his return to Germany in 1952, Kramer taught and served as the director of building at the
Goethe University Frankfurt Goethe University Frankfurt () is a public research university located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was founded in 1914 as a citizens' university, which means it was founded and funded by the wealthy and active liberal citizenry of Frankfurt ...
until his retirement into private practice in 1964.
Paul Friedrich Posenenske Paul Friedrich Posenenske (9 September 1919 – April 2004) was a German architect of functionalism. Life Posenenske was born on 9 September 1919 in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland). From 1936 to 1941, he studied at the Technische Hochschule ...
followed the architectural language introduced by Ferdinand Kramer at the university buildings. The university moves step by step to the new Poelzig/Westend and Nieder-Eschbach campuses, so many of the old buildings in Bockenheim will be sold or even torn down although they are landmarked buildings. Ferdinand Kramer was married to Beate Kramers and later to Lore Kramer, who still cares for his legacy. They have three daughters.


Legacy

From 9 December 1982, to 23 January 1983, a retrospective of Kramer's work was shown at
Bauhaus Archive The Bauhaus Archive () is a state archive and Museum of Design located in Berlin. It collects art pieces, items, documents and literature which relate to the Bauhaus School (1919–1933), and puts them on public display. Currently, the museum ...
in Berlin, and at Amerikahaus in Frankfurt. From 5 June to 4 August 1991, the
Museum of Design, Zürich The Museum of Design, Zürich (German language, German: ''Museum für Gestaltung Zürich'') is a museum for industrial design, visual communication, architecture, and craft in Zurich, Switzerland. Overview The museum is part of the Department ...
put on the retrospective exhibition "Ferdinand Kramer – Der Charme des Systematischen" which was also shown in Frankfurt at the
Deutscher Werkbund The Deutscher Werkbund (; ) is a German association of artists, architects, designers and industrialists established in 1907. The ''Werkbund'' became an important element in the development of modern architecture and industrial design, parti ...
(in cooperation with the DAM,
Deutsches Architekturmuseum The Deutsches Architekturmuseum (English: German Architecture Museum), or DAM, is located on the Museumsufer in Frankfurt, Germany. Housed in an 18th-century building, the interior has been re-designed by Oswald Mathias Ungers in 1984 as a set o ...
) and later at the
Bauhaus Dessau Bauhaus Dessau, also Bauhaus-Building Dessau, is a building-complex in Dessau-Roßlau. It is considered the pinnacle of pre-war modern design in Europe and originated out of the dissolution of the Weimar School and the move by local politic ...
. The
Frankfurt University Goethe University Frankfurt () is a public research university located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was founded in 1914 as a citizens' university, which means it was founded and funded by the wealthy and active liberal citizenry of Frankfurt ...
archive keeps examples of furniture Kramer designed specifically for the university. Other museums such as the Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt, the
Thonet Thonet is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anne Bonnet, née Thonet (1908–1960), Belgian painter * Michael Thonet (1796–1871), German–Austrian cabinet maker ** Gebrüder Thonet Gebrüder Thonet or the Thonet Brothers ...
Museum in Frankenberg as well as the
Vitra Design Museum The Vitra Design Museum is a privately owned museum for design in Weil am Rhein, Germany. The architect of this building was Frank O. Gehry. His architecture was based on the art movement of the early 20th century, deconstructivism. Making the bu ...
, in
Weil am Rhein Weil am Rhein (, ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Wiil am Rhii'') is a German town and commune. It is on the east bank of the River Rhine, and extends to the tripoint of Switzerland, France, and Germany. It is the most southwesterly tow ...
have examples of Kramer's furniture. Kramer's door handle design and designs for several pieces of furniture have been re-released.


See also

*
Frankfurt University Library The Frankfurt University Library (German: ''Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt am Main'' (UB Frankfurt), or ''Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg'', ISIL DE-30) is the library for the Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. Histor ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kramer, Ferdinand 1898 births 1985 deaths 20th-century German architects Technical University of Munich alumni Bauhaus alumni Architects from Frankfurt Naturalized citizens of the United States