“Imagine settling into a space where art blossomed amidst industrial echoes.” That’s Das kleine Atelierhaus. This small studio house is a cultural gem in Essen. It stands as a testament to artistic vision. Das kleine Atelierhaus is located on Sommerburgstraße.
In 1916, the graphic artist Hermann Kätelhön arrived in Essen. He became captivated by the Ruhr region, its industry, and its people. Kätelhön met Margarethe Krupp. He convinced her to commission the building of an atelier house. Thus, the Künstler Siedlung Margarethenhöhe had its beginnings in 1920.
Das kleine Atelierhaus featured a two-story atelier. It also had additional workspaces and living quarters for the artist’s family. Hermann Kätelhön installed his printing presses there. He printed and sold his etchings. Later, a proper printing shop was established in the Werkhaus nearby. Other artists settling here were also welcome to use it.
The Margarethe Krupp Foundation then commissioned apartments. These included additional ateliers on Sommerburgstraße. This marked the beginning of the artists’ colony. The artists often gathered to discuss their diverse works. They met evenings and weekends.
Das kleine Atelierhaus miraculously survived the Second World War undamaged. However, it ceased to be an artist’s studio as it once was. In recent years, Das kleine Atelierhaus has been revitalized. The Ruhr Museum and the Margarethe Krupp Foundation use it as a cultural venue. It hosts exhibitions focusing on the theme of Margarethenhöhe.
Georg Metzendorf persuaded Margarethe Krupp to provide studios. These were for freelance artists and artisans in Margarethenhöhe. The construction of Das kleine Atelierhaus started in 1919. It was followed by the ceramic workshop, the Werkhaus, and the Große Atelierhaus. These served as joint production facilities.
Besides Hermann Kätelhön, the circle included sculptors Joseph Enseling, Richard Malin, and Will Lammert. The bookbinder Frida Schoy, goldsmith Elisabeth Treskow, and photographer Albert Renger-Patzsch were also involved. Painters Kurt Lewy, Gustav Dahler, and Josef Albert Benkert also participated. Several members taught at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. The brothers Philipp and Hermann Schardt were among them.
The artistic experiment ended in 1933. This was due to the Nazi rise to power and increasingly difficult economic conditions. Most artists and patrons of the artists’ colony were dismissed and displaced. Their studios were largely destroyed in World War II.
An exhibition titled “The Graphic Artist Hermann Kätelhön” was inaugurated in Das kleine Atelierhaus. Over 200 guests gathered for the opening. Prof. Heinrich Theodor Grütter, Director of the Ruhr Museum, praised Kätelhön’s works. He recognized him as the initiator and driving force behind the artists’ colony.
Mayor Thomas Kufen expressed his fascination with the exhibition “Departure in the West.” It showcased the artistic, social, and architectural impulses. These originated from Margarethenhöhe. He acknowledged Margarethe Krupp, Georg Metzendorf, and Hermann Kätelhön. They were the core of the Künstler Siedlung Margarethenhöhe.
The exhibition at Das kleine Atelierhaus also displays the original Stern printing press. The famous graphics, still traded today, were created on it. Hermann Kätelhön’s grandson, Martin Kätelhön, demonstrates it in regular workshops.
Today, Das kleine Atelierhaus stands as a cultural landmark. It embodies the artistic heritage of Essen’s Margarethenhöhe. As you leave, remember that this small house played a big role in Essen’s art history. It helped shape the cultural identity of this unique garden city.