Politics

The political and social commitment of the artist was largely the result of her socialist parents and her grandfather, Julius Rupp, who founded the first German free-evangelical community in Königsberg.

As the members of this church believed in attaining the kingdom of God here on earth when hardship and misery were overcome, Aid for the poor, nursing services and other social welfare activities played an important role in their community. Käthe Kollwitz’ father, Carl Schmidt, who took over from Rupp as the congregation’s preacher, later joined the SPD together with his son Konrad, Käthe’s elder brother. Her husband, Karl Kollwitz, who was a friend her brother’s, later became town councillor for the SPD in Berlin.

Käthe Kollwitz, who never joined a political party, even though she closely supported the ideals of the SPD all her life, said shortly before her death that she hoped for a kind of socialism which was synonymous with »brotherhood of man«.

works

Käthe Kollwitz, March Cemetery, second version, 1913, crayon lithograph in two colors (transfer of an unknown drawing on ribbed laid paper, Kn 128, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Käthe Kollwitz, March Cemetery, second version, 1913, crayon lithograph in two colors (transfer of an unknown drawing on ribbed laid paper, Kn 128

Käthe Kollwitz, In Memoriam Karl Liebknecht, third and final version, 1920, woodcut, Kn 159 VI a, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Käthe Kollwitz, In Memoriam Karl Liebknecht, third and final version, 1920, woodcut, Kn 159 VI a

Käthe Kollwitz, Banners, 1925, charcoal, NT 1090, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Käthe Kollwitz, Banners, 1925, charcoal, NT 1090

Käthe Kollwitz, Revolution 1918, 1928, charcoal and black crayon, NT 1163, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Käthe Kollwitz, Revolution 1918, 1928, charcoal and black crayon, NT 1163

Käthe Kollwitz, Solidarity, 1931-1932, lithographic crayon, NT 1229, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Käthe Kollwitz, Solidarity, 1931-1932, lithographic crayon, NT 1229

Käthe Kollwitz, Demonstration, final version, 1931, crayon lithograph (transfer), Kn 252 II c, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Käthe Kollwitz, Demonstration, final version, 1931, crayon lithograph (transfer), Kn 252 II c


Address

Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Neumarkt 18-24 / Neumarkt Passage

50667 Köln

+49 (0)221 227 2899

+49 (0)221 227 2602

Opening hours

Tue - Sun

11 am – 6 pm

Public holidays

11 am – 6 pm

First Thu each month

11 am – 8 pm

Mon

closed

Please note

The Käthe Kollwitz Museum's exhibition rooms are temporarily closed due to extensive renovation work.

You are welcome to visit our pop-up space RAUM FÜR NEUES - open Tuesday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., each first Thursday of the month 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

read more

zur Karte