Here stands the Kurt Kluge Plaque a testament to a life lived in art and letters. This unassuming plaque on Krottnaurerstrasse 64 marks the Berlin home of Kurt Kluge from 1935 to 1940. He wasn’t just any resident. Kluge was a multi-talented man a poet sculptor and metal caster. He also held a professorship at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1921 to 1940.
Imagine the bustling streets of Berlin during Kluge’s time. The sounds of horse-drawn carriages the shouts of vendors. He walked these very streets. He lived in this very building. His life played out within these walls. A creative force in his time his name is now kept alive thanks to this plaque.
Kluge’s main claim to fame is his novel “Der Herr Kortüm”. Published in 1938 this humorous epic novel tells the story of a peculiar innkeeper in the Thuringian Forest. The book’s popularity was immense. It even led to some calling Kluge simply the “Poet of Kortüm”. A curious nickname for a man of such diverse talents.
But there’s a poignant end to Kluge’s story. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 1940. It happened during a trip to the front lines at Fort Eben-Emael near Liège Belgium. His death cut short a prolific career.
The Kurt Kluge Plaque isn’t just a marker on a building. It is a symbol of remembrance. A reminder of a life filled with creativity perseverance and ultimately tragedy. It serves as a silent tribute. A pause to remember the man and his works. It connects us to Berlin’s rich cultural past. His legacy lives on through his writings and art. It’s a story worth remembering. A story whispered into the very stones of this city. A story you can reflect upon as we continue our walking tour.