Gerhard Ulrich

Biography

Illustrations, lettering, books, book covers, publisher. Born 19 November 1903 in Berlin. 1920-24: studied at the Berlin Kunstgewerbeschule. 1924-7: studied at the Berlin Akademie: teachers included Ludwig Bartning , Emil Orlik and Bruno Paul. He became assistant to Emil Orlik, and later succeeded him. 1927-44: taught drawing at the Berlin Hochschule für Bildende Künste; worked for the journal Woche and the Büchergilde Gutenberg. Wounded in the war, he recuperated at the hospital in Gütersloh, Westphalia; after recovering he worked for the publisher Bertelsmann. From 1947: freelanced as illustrator (often architectural subjects), book designer and design consultant to Bertelsmann. Designed murals for the Schöneburg town hall and for the Alexanderplatz underground station, Berlin. 1978: illustrated Lexikon der Kunst Motive. Ulrich was also a publisher (list in R. Weinreich, 1983; see below). Died 27 March 1988 in Gütersloh.

Writings by

  • ‘Aus dem Kopf und “Par Coeur”’, in Weinrich, 1973 (see below)
  • Gezeichnet, geschrieben, erlebt (autobiography), self-published , 1974
  • (with Helmut Börsch-Supan), Schloss Charlottenburg[,] Werden und Wandel, Berlin: Nicolais, 1980.

Writings about

  • Fritz Nemitz, ‘Gerhard Ulrich’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., May 1938, pp. 44-8
  • Renate Weinreich (intro.), Gerhard Ulrich/Illustration und Buchausstattung ( exh . cat.), Berlin: Kunstbibliothek der Staatliche Museen, Preussicher Kulturbesitz, 1973, and Gütersloh: Stadt Gütersloh, with Kunstverein Kreis Gütersloh, 1974
  • R. Weinreich and others, Gerhard Ulrich, Berlin: Nicolai, 1983
  • brief biography, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., April 1955, p. 55
  • Werner Suhr, ‘Gerhard Ulrich’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., May 1934, pp. 20-25
  • Paul Fechter, ‘Gerhard Ulrich’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Jan. 1955, pp. 18-25
  • Deutsche Biographische Enzyklopädie, Munich, London, New Providence: K.G. Saur 1995- (from 1997: Munich only)., 1999.

Exhibitions

  • Berlin Museum, 1972
  • Kunstbibliothek, Berlin, 1973
  • Schloss-Charlottenburg, Berlin, 1978, 1980
  • Berlin Museum, 1984.