germanpostwarmodern:During the 1970s German architect Max Bächer intensely dealt with architect
germanpostwarmodern:During the 1970s German architect Max Bächer intensely dealt with architecture, fascism and fascist architecture. Triggered by what Bächer perceived as fascist tendencies in contemporary architecture he held lectures, got in touch with Albert Speer and even planned a book about fascist architecture. Recently M Books released Frederike Lausch’s excellent study „Architektur und Faschismus - Max Bächers Auseinandersetzung mit Albert Speer“, a close examination of the architect’s dialogue with Speer and fascist architecture based on the analysis of his expansive archive at Deutsches Architekturmuseum. What results from the latter is a very differentiated perspective on Max Bächer’s struggle with Neoclassicism, fascism, the expression of power and subjugation in architecture and contemporary architectural discourses. Against the backdrop of what he perceived as the unreflected use of historical architectural models and styles (e.g. in the work of the Krier brothers) Bächer drew comparisons to the prestige buildings of the Third Reich, often on the sole basis of outward similarities. This mode of rather superficial analysis is also the core of Bächer’s polemics: what he regarded as the return of fascist principles in architecture he at the same time wasn’t able to pinpoint. Bächer’s slide collection used during his lectures includes the Bielefeld Kunsthalle by Philip Johnson or the Mainz Town Hall by Arne Jacobsen and Otto Weitling, certainly buildings representing power and aplomb but where they are fascist he wasn’t able to explain convincingly. On the other hand Bächer also was a fierce opponent of any type of ideology and also the use of the label „fascistic“ as knockout argument in contemporary architectural discourse. As the examples show Max Bächer’s attitude is complex, not completely stringent and thus illustrates that it is virtually impossible to classify architecture as fascist based on style alone. But it seems to have been his concern, especially in his position as professor, to his inform his students about the role and position of the architect with regards to ideology and political systems. Friederike Lausch‘s study is a pivotal read on the intellectual currents of post-1968 architecture in Germany, an honest portrait of Max Bächer‘s efforts and struggles during these times. -- source link
#fascist#architecture