Great hunger for culture satisfied: 50 years of the Gauting Art Association

Created: 02/14/2022, 18:00

At the celebration of 50 years of the Gauting Art Association (from left): Chairwoman Jane Höchstetter, Dr.

Sibylle Butz (daughter of the painter Stefan Britt), Fritz Hirsch and Renate Großmann.

© Cc

Stefan Britt, Herbert Achternbusch and Co.: Reminiscences of 50 years of the Gauting Art Association were last seen in the wide-screen cinema.

Gauting - The wide-screen cinema "Tati" was well filled at the long-missed 12-person event of the Gauting culture platform early on Saturday evening due to the pandemic.

Contemporary witnesses such as Renate Großmann, Stefan Fichert or Dr.

Sibylle Butz, daughter of the deceased founder Stefan Britt, celebrated "50 years of the Gauting Art Association" in witty conversations with the chairwoman, Jane Höchstetter.

"I witnessed the founding of the company on May 12, 1972 when I was eight years old in my mother's house," said Jane Höchstetter, the daughter of the painter Inifrau von Rechenberg, who died last year.

Renate Großmann from the Kunstverein recalled that there had been a very active artist scene in Gauting since the mid-1960s, with exhibitions in what was then the Don Bosco Home.

Among the established painters from the artist colony were Lore Masius, Odi Kasper, Lulu Beck, August Bresgen, Hans Olde and Hans Schellinger.

The engine of the art association was Stefan Britt, the first chairman.

In the small booth of today's Pizzeria Carmine on the main square, the painter also exhibited his own works, Großmann recalled.

The fact that Britt stayed "down there in the little house" on the main square was "a rebellion against established artists", explained painter Stefan Fichert from the "Puppet Players".

The patron and artist Thomy Niederreuther initiated this rebellion and established new sections such as theatre, workshop groups or life drawing with Stefan Britt in the art association.

Hunger for culture Result of the spirit of optimism of the 1968 movement

Back then, 50 years ago, in addition to the art association, there were other initiatives such as the Charivari jazz band, the Unterbrunn youth brass band or Peter Schulze-Holz's theater group in the town hall, recalled former mayor Dr.

Ekkehard Knobloch in his greeting.

As a result of the spirit of optimism of the 1968 movement, "the hunger for culture was great".

Britt, Niederreuther, Gudrun Siebert-Niederreuther and Renate Großmann had turned art exhibitions in the town hall into major social events, praised Knobloch.

Herbert Achternbusch, who died on January 10 and lived in Buchendorf with his wife Gerda and their children in the 1970s, was also a member of the art association, film pastor Eckart Bruchner said.

"My father Stefan Britt was in the workshop group", his daughter Dr.

Sibylle Butz looks back.

Her grandfather was a "Nazi" and wanted to send his son to the Adolf Hitler School.

But her father went to school in Gräfelfing, but was drafted into the Wehrmacht at the age of 17.

Britt never forgave himself for still shooting as a young anti-aircraft helper "until nothing moved anymore".

Since returning from captivity, "my father had a deep bond with the Russian people."

Britt studied with Oskar Kokoschka and "met my mother there".

In 1962 the parents married.

"I had a wonderful time as a child" with Inifrau von Rechenberg, Heinz Braun, Thomy Niederreuther, Fritz Hirsch and Renate Großmann, Sibylle Butz thanks the Kunstverein.

Fritz Hirsch had another anecdote ready.

It was not until 1975 that the art association got a home with exhibitions in the then newly built town hall: "My father hung the pictures for the art association for years," Hirsch said.

The exhibitors never took part in this work, but only complained afterwards: "But my picture is hanging badly."

Christine Cless-Wesle