Ludwig Becker (architect)
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Ludwig Becker (19 November 185513 July 1940) was a
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
.Brigitte Hammerschmidt: Der Kirchenbau des 20. Jahrhunderts im rheinland-pfälzischen Teil des Bistums Trier. (Trier 2006) p.3−145.


Life

Becker was born the son of the eponymous
Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
master craftsman and master builder. He studied from 1873 at the Technical University of Aachen and was trained in addition to the
stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with mortar and even the ancient lime mortar ...
and sculptor at the Cologne Dombauhütte. In
Mainz Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...
he was named church
master builder A master builder or master mason is a central figure leading construction projects in pre-modern times (a combination of a modern expert carpenter, construction site supervisor, and architect / engineer). Historically, the term has generally ref ...
(''Kirchenbaumeister'') in 1884, and cathedral
master builder A master builder or master mason is a central figure leading construction projects in pre-modern times (a combination of a modern expert carpenter, construction site supervisor, and architect / engineer). Historically, the term has generally ref ...
(''Dombaumeister'') from 1909 to 1940. After 1909 he partnered with
Anton Falkowski Anton may refer to: People *Anton (given name), a list of people with the given name *Anton (surname), a list of people with the surname Places *Anton Municipality, Bulgaria **Anton, Sofia Province, a village *Antón District, Panama **Antón, ...
, and later with his son, the church architect
Hugo Becker Hugo Becker (born Jean Otto Eric Hugo Becker, 13 February 1863, died 30 July 1941) was a prominent German cellist, cello teacher, and composer. He studied at a young age with Alfredo Piatti, and later Friedrich Grützmacher in Dresden. Biogr ...
(1897–1967). Becker also worked as a construction researcher at the
Mainz Cathedral Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral ( or, officially, ') is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany. This 1000-year-old Roman Catholic cathedral is the site of the episcopal see of th ...
, who brought important findings to light; however, his conclusions were flawed. His thesis was that the construction of the Mainz Cathedral was already begun in
Constantine the Great Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
's time in the 4th century, but he could not convincingly demonstrate the claim, which was unanimously rejected by experts. Becker's grave is in Mainz's main cemetery.


Work

Herz-Jesu-Kirche, Mainz Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Saarbrücken Becker dealt with over 300 churches, which he restored, rebuilt or built. He used numerous styles of various historical architectural styles, as is customary in historicism. He designed many buildings together with his business partner Anton Falkowski. Becker and Falkowski preferred Romanesque and Gothic before 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 ...
, then simple baroque. From about 1930, expressionist stylistic devices were also used. * Catholic parish Church of the Assumption in Kirrberg, 1881–1893 * Catholic parish Church of St. Mary in
Bad Homburg Bad Homburg vor der Höhe (, ) is the district town of the Hochtaunuskreis, Hesse, Germany, on the southern slope of the Taunus mountains. Bad Homburg is part of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main urban area. The town's official name is ''Bad Homburg ...
before the height, designed in 1889, executed 1892–1895 * Catholic parish Church of St. Joseph in St. Ingbert, 1890–1893 * Catholic parish Church of St. Martin in Oestrich (restoration), 1890–1893 * Tomb chapel of the family Wambolt of Umstadt in the castle Birkenau (Odenwald), 1891 * Catholic garrison Church St. Mauritius in
Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
, Arnoldsplatz, competition 1893, completed 1899 * Catholic parish Church of St. Bartholomew in
Zornheim Zornheim is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a Municipalities of Germany, municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Geography Location Zornhe ...
, 1893–1894 * Catholic parish Church of St. Mary's Conception in
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...
, 1894–1896 * Catholic parish Church of the Holy Cross in
Bad Kreuznach Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke (Bad Kreuznach), Alte Nahebrücke, ...
, Wilhelmstraße, 1895–1897 * Catholic parish Church of St. Rochus in
Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern (; ) is a town in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, 666 kilometers (414 m ...
-Hohenecken, 1896–1897 * Catholic parish Church of St. Michael in Unter-Hambach (
Heppenheim Heppenheim (Bergstraße) () is the seat of Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany, lying on the Bergstraße on the edge of the Odenwald. It is best known for being the birthplace of Sebastian Vettel, a four-time Formula One World Champion and ...
), 1897–1899 * Catholic parish Church of St. Lawrence in Bobenheim, 1898 * Catholic parish Church of St. Matthew in
Bad Sobernheim Bad Sobernheim () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the like-named ''Verbandsgemeinde'', and is also its seat. It is a state-recognized spa town, and is well known for two fossil discovery sit ...
, 1898–1899 * Episcopal Convict in Bensheim, 1899–1900 * Catholic parish Church of the Sacred Heart in
Bad Kreuznach Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke (Bad Kreuznach), Alte Nahebrücke, ...
-Planig, 1900 * Catholic parish Church of St. Lutwinus in
Mettlach Mettlach (; Moselle Franconian: Mettlich) is a municipality in the district Merzig-Wadern, in Saarland, Germany, situated on the river Saar, approximately northwest of Merzig, and south of Trier. The headquarters of Villeroy & Boch are in Mett ...
, 1899–1902 * Catholic parish Church of St. Agatha in
Altenhundem Lennestadt (occasionally also ''die Lennestadt'') lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district's most populous municipality. Lennestadt itself is not an actual town but a commun ...
(with ), 1900–1901 * Catholic parish Church of St. Hubertus in
Nonnweiler Nonnweiler () is a municipality in the district of Sankt Wendel, in Saarland, Germany. Overview It is situated approximately 20 km northwest of Sankt Wendel, and 30 km southeast of Trier. The village is well known for the " Hillfort of ...
, 1900–1902 * Catholic parish Church of St. Bernard in Clausen, 1900–1903 * Catholic parish Church of the Sacred Heart in
Koblenz Koblenz ( , , ; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz'') is a German city on the banks of the Rhine (Middle Rhine) and the Moselle, a multinational tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman military p ...
, Löhrrondell, 1900–1903 * Catholic parish Church of St. Peter in
Heppenheim Heppenheim (Bergstraße) () is the seat of Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany, lying on the Bergstraße on the edge of the Odenwald. It is best known for being the birthplace of Sebastian Vettel, a four-time Formula One World Champion and ...
(Bergstraße), Kirchgasse, 1900–1904 * Catholic parish Church of St. Joseph in
Hagen Hagen () is a city in the States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany, on the southeastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne and Volme meet the Ruhr (river), Ruhr. In 2023, the ...
, 1901–1906 * Catholic parish Church of St. Fridolin in
Mulhouse Mulhouse (; ; Alsatian language, Alsatian: ''Mìlhüsa'' ; , meaning "Mill (grinding), mill house") is a France, French city of the European Collectivity of Alsace (Haut-Rhin department, in the Grand Est region of France). It is near the Fran ...
, 1901–1906 * Catholic parish Church of St. Joseph in
Montigny-lès-Metz Montigny-lès-Metz (, literally ''Montigny near Metz''; , (1940–1944) ''Montenich'') is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is the largest suburb of the city of Metz, and is adjacent to it on the we ...
, 1901–1906 (inauguration 29 July 1906) * Artisan house in Art Nouveau style on the Märtmannstrasse in
Dortmund Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...
-Aplerbeck 1902–1904 * Catholic parish Church of St. Boniface in Neuenkirchen (
Oldenburg Oldenburg may also refer to: Places * Mount Oldenburg, Ellsworth Land, Antarctica *Oldenburg (city), an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany **Oldenburg (district), a district historically in Oldenburg Free State and now in Lower Saxony * Ol ...
), 1902–1905 (with ) * Catholic parish Church of St. Pankratius in Buldern (with ) * Catholic parish Church of St. Lawrence in Sommerau in the Spessart, 1902 to about 1906. The reconstruction and expansion planning was not realized in favor of a new building. * Tower of the Catholic parish Church of St. Lucia in
Harsewinkel Harsewinkel () is a town in Gütersloh District in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies on the river Ems, some 15 km north-west of Gütersloh. It is the home and domicile of Europe's leading combine harvester manufacturer ...
, 1903–1904 with Wilhelm Sunder-Plaßmann,
Münster Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
* Catholic parish Church of St. Wendelin in Zellhausen (
Mainhausen Mainhausen is a municipality of over 9,000 in the Offenbach district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Geography Location Mainhausen is one of 13 towns and communities in the Offenbach district, lying in the southernmos ...
), 1903/04 * Catholic parish Church of St. Elizabeth in
Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the ...
, 1903–1905 * Catholic parish church of St. Boniface in
Giessen Giessen, spelled in German (), is a town in the Germany, German States of Germany, state () of Hesse, capital of both the Giessen (district), district of Giessen and the Giessen (region), administrative region of Giessen. The population is appro ...
, 1903–1936 * Catholic Church of St. Boniface in
Bad Nauheim Bad Nauheim () is a town in the Wetteraukreis district of Hesse state of Germany. As of 2020, Bad Nauheim has a population of 32,493. The town is approximately north of Frankfurt am Main, on the east edge of the Taunus mountain range. It is a w ...
, 1904/05 * Catholic parish Church of St. Bartholomew in Kirschhausen (
Heppenheim Heppenheim (Bergstraße) () is the seat of Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany, lying on the Bergstraße on the edge of the Odenwald. It is best known for being the birthplace of Sebastian Vettel, a four-time Formula One World Champion and ...
), 1904/05 * Transept and double tower facade of the Catholic parish Church of St. Brigida in
Legden Legden (; Westphalian: ''Ledden'') is a municipality in the district of Borken, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located between Ahaus and Coesfeld Coesfeld (; Westphalian language, Westphalian: ''Koosfeld'') is the capital of the Co ...
, 1905 * Longhouse and double tower facade of the Catholic parish Church of St. Stephan in Mainz-Gonsenheim, 1905–1906 * Catholic parish church St. Martinus in
Hattersheim am Main Hattersheim am Main (, ) is a town in the Main-Taunus-Kreis, Main-Taunus district, Hesse (Germany) and part of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Regional Authority, Frankfurt Rhein-Main urban area. Geography Neighbouring towns Hattersheim borders the cit ...
, 1915 * Catholic parish Church of St. Theresia in
Rhens Rhens () is a municipality in the district Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the Rhine, approx. 10 km south of Koblenz. Rhens was the seat of the former ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective muni ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Becker, Ludwig 19th-century German architects 1855 births 1940 deaths 20th-century German architects Architects from Cologne RWTH Aachen University alumni