Opening its doors on 11 January 2026, this exhibition focuses on the critical years of 1948–1949—the period when post-war Germany was struggling to rise from its cultural ashes. Alfred Ehrhardt, immediately after the war ended, reintroduced to the world the works of Ernst Barlach—declared “degenerate art” in 1937 and erased from public space—through film and photography.
A Two-Part Epic: “The Fighter” and “The Overcomer”
Ehrhardt’s two-part cultural film on Ernst Barlach is regarded as one of the most respected examples of art documentaries in film history:
Part I: Der Kämpfer (The Fighter)
This section centres on Barlach’s early period and his confrontation with fear, loneliness, and death in the modern world. When Ehrhardt films sculptures such as Rächer (The Avenger), he uses light with such mastery that the static figure suddenly comes alive with movement.
Part II: Der Überwinder (The Overcomer)
The second part turns to the artist’s mature period, inner peace, and redemption. Blended with the music of Tchaikovsky and Bruckner, these silent images grant the viewer a very different “time for looking” than conventional documentaries provide.
The Silent Power of Cinema and “Mourning Work”
The most striking feature of Ehrhardt’s films is their complete rejection of voice-over or explanatory narration. In some sequences, long, fixed shots lasting up to 30 seconds leave the viewer alone with the texture, volume, and shadow of the sculpture. According to critics of the time, this work did not merely document art; it also performed a symbolic act of mourning and a moral rehabilitation on behalf of the German nation.
An Award-Winning Legacy
With this project Alfred Ehrhardt won first prize at the 1950 Venice Film Biennale and, in 1951, the inaugural Federal Film Prize, among other prestigious honours. The exhibition includes not only these award-winning films but also the original photographs Ehrhardt captured and froze during the shooting sessions.
Exhibition Notes
Title: Alfred Ehrhardt: Ernst Barlach – Fotografie und Film 1948/49
Venue: Alfred Ehrhardt Haus, Strobelplatz 2, 07819 Triptis (Thüringen)
Dates: 11 January – 20 September 2026
A Sunday trip to Triptis offers the perfect opportunity to be reminded that even in the darkest periods, art carries an inextinguishable light.
