Baukunst zwischen Tradition und Moderne. Kleines Lexikon siebenbürgisch-deutscher Architekten um 1900
Architecture between Tradition and Modernity. Small Lexicon of Transylvanian-German Architects around 1900

Summary/Abstract: In contrast to the visual arts with their individual authorship, we often know little about the creators of buildings, which is not surprising in the case of an art that serves society such as architecture. The present lexicon was originally intended as an appendix to the documentation published by Gerhild Rudolf and Hermann Fabini on the thought and work of the architect Fritz Balthes and is now available in an expanded form as a separate representation. It includes a selection of 40 architects, master builders and construction companies who worked in Transylvania in the German environment or at least have their roots here. After originally only protagonists of the “Art Nouveau generation” were intended, but it soon became apparent that this limitation did not adequately reflect the architectural reality due to the style pluralism at the time, the time stamp “around 1900” was extended to the previous and subsequent style epochs and movements (historicism with its neo-styles and subsequent currents such as reform and homeland security architecture, new building, etc.). The compilation of the information is based on extensive research in contemporary press and specialist publications, address books and private correspondence. In addition to biographical data, professional activity and further literature, each entry also contains works by the respective architects. In addition to the historical addresses, the current addresses of the locations (place and street names) are also given. The "house search" led, partly with Google StreetView, to some rediscovery, such as the mansions of Dr. Carl Wolff or Erika Paulas-Schuller, the “first female architect in Hungary”; even an almost forgotten synagogue was there (see Ernst Stenzel). Incorrect information in the existing literature was checked and corrected (even in the case of well-known buildings, incorrect dates are often given, for example in Albert Schuller's National Bank building in Kronstadt, which was not built in 1906-1908, but as early as 1905-1906.

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