They were: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938), Erich Heckel (1883-1970), Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (1884-1976) and Fritz Bleyl (who left shortly afterwards). The group was later joined by Max Pechstein (1881-1955), Otto Mueller (1874-1930) and Emil…

Max Liebermann was born of Jewish parents in July 20, 1847 in Berlin, and died in February 8th, 1935 in Berlin. He was a German-Jewish painter and printmaker, and one of the leading proponents of Impressionism in Germany. The son of a Jewish fabric…

Lotte Laserstein was born in Preussich-Holland, Prussia. One of the first female students to study at the Berlin Academy 1921-27, Laserstein was taught by the painter Erich Wolfsfeld. Through Wolfsfeld, Laserstein encountered the paintings firstly…

Franz Marc (1880-1916) was a German painter and printmaker born in Munich, where he also studied. During visits to Paris in 1903 and 1907 he discovered French Impressionism and from 1907 onwards he began animal studies, including anatomy and…

Gabriele Münter (1877-1962) was born in Berlin. She moved to Munich and became pupil and partner of Kandinsky in 1902 after he and further members of the “Phalanx” group had opened an art school. Münter and Kandinsky travelled through France between…

Ludwig Meidner (1884-1966) was born in Bernstadt in Silesia and worked as a plasterer and fashion designer before he studied art in Breslau from 1903-05. From 1906-07, he studied in Paris where he befriended Amedeo Modigliani. After his return to…

Max Pechstein (1881-1955) was born in Eckesbach and joined the Dresden “Brücke” in 1906. After visiting Italy and Paris, where he met Kees van Dongen, he moved to Berlin in 1908 and became president of the “Neue Sezession” in 1910. He was expelled…

Otto Dix (1891-1969) studied in Dresden from 1910-1914 and was a painter of wall-decorations until he taught himself painting. Like many artists, Dix was initially enthusiastic when the First World War broke out and was a soldier throughout the war.…

Luise Paetow (better known as Luise Grimm) was born April 13, 1900 in Berlin, and died June 1, 1991 in Berlin. Her artistic education from 1916 to 1926 was with Gertrud Nering, Ernst Mueller-Schoenefeld, Hans Baluschek, Hans Licht, Johann…

Alfred Hess (1879-1931) was a wealthy Jewish shoe manufacturer. In the 1920s Hess shoes were a byword for quality, exported all over Europe and abroad from the four large ‘M & L Hess Schuhfabrik’ factories in the town. Alfred Hess also…