Ernst Sagebiel
Encyclopedia
Ernst Sagebiel was a German
architect
.
's son, and after his Abitur
in 1912, he began his studies in architecture
in Braunschweig. He eventually finished his studies in 1922, after they were interrupted by his participation in the First World War, which included a stay in a prisoner-of-war camp
. In 1924, he joined Jakob Körfer's architectural bureau in Cologne
. In 1926 came his doctorate
("Promotion"). In 1929, Sagebiel took up a job in Berlin
as a project leader and chief executive officer
at the architect Erich Mendelsohn
's office, but in 1932, he had to leave this job owing to the severe economic climate
in Germany at that time. He worked as a construction foreman
.
After Adolf Hitler
and the Nazis seized power in 1933, Sagebiel applied for membership in the NSDAP, and became a member of the Sturmabteilung
(SA).
Already by 1933, Sagebiel had, at his brother's suggestion, come to be at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule
("German Commercial Flyers' School"), which was a front organization involved more with Germany's air force
buildup than with commercial flying. As of 1934, he was being trusted with planning, as well as overseeing construction of, numerous Luftwaffe barracks
(in Döberitz, Berlin-Gatow and Kladow, to name a few) as leader of the special works unit.
In 1934 and 1935, he gave Germany its first major building project in the time of the Third Reich – the new Reich Air Transport Ministry. Later, he found himself busy with another project, Tempelhof Airport, then the world's biggest building.
Sagebiel's building style, which when compared to Albert Speer
's rather classicist tendencies came across as very stark and linear, was described as "Luftwaffe modern", owing not least to his close association with the Luftwaffe
. With his earlier building of the Reich Air Transport Ministry for Hermann Göring
, which came earlier than Albert Speer's exertion of influence on the National Socialists' architectural parlance, Sagebiel set a trend that would be recognizable throughout the Third Reich. From 1938, he was directly subordinate to the Air Transport Minister, Hermann Göring, and was thereby counted among the Reich's most important architects. In the same year, he became a professor
at the Technische Hochschule Berlin
.
With the outbreak of war
against the Soviet Union
in 1941 came an end to all Sagebiel's building plans.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
.
Life
Sagebiel was a sculptorSculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
's son, and after his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1912, he began his studies in architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
in Braunschweig. He eventually finished his studies in 1922, after they were interrupted by his participation in the First World War, which included a stay in a prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
. In 1924, he joined Jakob Körfer's architectural bureau in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. In 1926 came his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
("Promotion"). In 1929, Sagebiel took up a job in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
as a project leader and chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
at the architect Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn was a Jewish German architect, known for his expressionist architecture in the 1920s, as well as for developing a dynamic functionalism in his projects for department stores and cinemas.-Early life:...
's office, but in 1932, he had to leave this job owing to the severe economic climate
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in Germany at that time. He worked as a construction foreman
Construction foreman
A construction foreman is the worker or tradesman who is in charge of a construction crew. While traditionally this role has been assumed by a senior male worker, the title in the modern sense is gender non-specific in intent...
.
After Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and the Nazis seized power in 1933, Sagebiel applied for membership in the NSDAP, and became a member of the Sturmabteilung
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
(SA).
Already by 1933, Sagebiel had, at his brother's suggestion, come to be at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule
Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule
The Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule , German Air Transport School, was a covert military-training organization operating as a flying school in Germany...
("German Commercial Flyers' School"), which was a front organization involved more with Germany's air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
buildup than with commercial flying. As of 1934, he was being trusted with planning, as well as overseeing construction of, numerous Luftwaffe barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
(in Döberitz, Berlin-Gatow and Kladow, to name a few) as leader of the special works unit.
In 1934 and 1935, he gave Germany its first major building project in the time of the Third Reich – the new Reich Air Transport Ministry. Later, he found himself busy with another project, Tempelhof Airport, then the world's biggest building.
Sagebiel's building style, which when compared to Albert Speer
Albert Speer
Albert Speer, born Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer, was a German architect who was, for a part of World War II, Minister of Armaments and War Production for the Third Reich. Speer was Adolf Hitler's chief architect before assuming ministerial office...
's rather classicist tendencies came across as very stark and linear, was described as "Luftwaffe modern", owing not least to his close association with the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. With his earlier building of the Reich Air Transport Ministry for Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
, which came earlier than Albert Speer's exertion of influence on the National Socialists' architectural parlance, Sagebiel set a trend that would be recognizable throughout the Third Reich. From 1938, he was directly subordinate to the Air Transport Minister, Hermann Göring, and was thereby counted among the Reich's most important architects. In the same year, he became a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the Technische Hochschule Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
.
With the outbreak of war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1941 came an end to all Sagebiel's building plans.
List of projects and plans
- ColumbushausColumbushausThe Columbushaus was a nine-storey modernist office and shopping building in Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, designed by Erich Mendelsohn and completed in 1932...
, Berlin, Project management for Erich MendelsohnErich MendelsohnErich Mendelsohn was a Jewish German architect, known for his expressionist architecture in the 1920s, as well as for developing a dynamic functionalism in his projects for department stores and cinemas.-Early life:... - Reichsluftfahrtministerium, Berlin 1934 – 1935
- Tempelhof International AirportTempelhof International AirportBerlin Tempelhof Airport was an airport in Berlin, Germany, situated in the south-central borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg. The airport ceased operating in 2008 in the process of establishing Schönefeld as the sole commercial airport for Berlin....
, Berlin 1935 – 1941 - Stuttgart AirportStuttgart AirportStuttgart Airport is an international airport located approximately south of Stuttgart, Germany....
- Munich Riem Airport
- Bücker Aircraft Works, RangsdorfRangsdorfRangsdorf is a municipality in the district of Teltow-Fläming in Brandenburg in Germany. It has an airfield, from where on 20 July 1944 Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg flew in his unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler at Wolfsschanze....
- Regional Air Command Centres in KielKielKiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, KönigsbergKönigsbergKönigsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
and MünsterMünsterMünster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland... - Luftwaffe schools in Berlin-GatowRAF GatowKnown for most of its operational life as Royal Air Force Station Gatow, or more commonly RAF Gatow, this former British Royal Air Force military airbase is in the district of Gatow in south-western Berlin, west of the Havel river, in the borough of Spandau...
, DresdenDresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and PotsdamPotsdamPotsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
-WildparkWildparkWildpark may refer to:*Wildparkstadion, a sports arena in Karlsruhe, Germany*Wildpark, Derbyshire...
Literature
- Elke Dittrich: Ernst Sagebiel - Leben und Werk (1892 - 1970). Lukas Verlag Berlin 2005, ISBN 3-936872-39-2
- Laurenz Demps und Carl-Ludwig Paeschke: Flughafen Tempelhof. Ullstein Verlag, 1998, ISBN 3-550-06973-1
- Hans J. Reichhardt, Wolfgang Schäche: Von Berlin nach Germania. Transit Buchverlag, Berlin 2005 (gebundene Ausgabe), ISBN 3-88747-127-X
- Wolfgang Schäche: Architektur und Städtebau in Berlin zwischen 1933 und 1945. Gebr. Mann, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-7861-1178-2
- Jost Schäfer: Das ehem. Luftkreiskommando IV in Münster von Ernst Sagebiel, in: Zeitschrift Westfalen, 76. Bd. Münster 1999, S. 380-401. ISSN 0043-4337
External links
- Biography at the German Historical Museum (in German)
- Tempelhof Airport's website (in German)