Schüler in Arnstadt

From 1970 to 1973, Gottfried Schüler created six relief panels, each depicting three scenes from “Till Eulenspiegel” and “Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten,” located on the forecourt of the school building in Arnstadt.

Over four days, students from the tenth and eleventh grades of the “MELISSANTES” Gymnasium in Arnstadt engaged with the relief works in front of the school. Until now, the artwork had received little attention. On the first day, the students had a one-hour conversation with gallery owner Elke Gatz-Hengst, who answered all questions about Gottfried Schüler and his art. Gottfried Schüler (1923-1999) lived and worked in Weimar. In 1974, he was commissioned to create the relief works. The original theme of the images was supposed to be Polytechnic Education. However, Schüler convinced the commission with his own visual idea. The relief plates are detailed. In six weeks, he produced about 600 individual forms at the Gebauer pottery in Bürgel. The plan was to install them on the school building. Since each of the six surfaces weighs about 5 centners, the Arnstadt “Betonwerk” placed them in concrete surfaces in front of the school. The location has remained the same until today, and after the school renovation, the outdoor space in front of the school was also newly planted. The artworks are only slightly damaged but need cleaning. This would also reveal the different colors of the clay. The students lack a plaque with information about Gottfried Schüler, his work, and details about the artworks. The project participants wish that the students at the gymnasium receive more information about the artwork.

From the second day, the students shaped their own relief works with ceramicist Doreen Reifenberger from Erfurt. They worked with clay in various colors and different techniques. On the next day, parallel to pottery, podcast recordings began, in which the students shared their experiences and opinions about the project. Finally, the results and information were presented at the school festival. In September, the students visited the Andreasstraße Memorial and Educational Site.

The text is written by Leonie and Nelly and translated with ChatGPT.