Reinhard Herrmann

Biography

Born 7 September 1923 in Münster. Studied art history and Germanic Studies at the University of Münster while, at the same time, attending the graphics class under Hans Pape at the Meisterschule des Deutschen Handwerks (later Werkkunstschule). After the war he studied under Alfred Mahlau at the Hamburg Landeskunstschule. ‘The difficult living conditions of the early postwar years induced him to return to Münster where he [again] studied under Hans Pape at the Werkkunstschule.’ (Spaan, p. 92) From 1948: freelance designer and illustrator. From 1955: taught at the Werkkunstschule. From 1959: wrote and illustrated numerous picture-books of the Bible and Christmas for children. 1960: succeeded Hans Pape as director of the Werkgruppe Graphik at the Werkkunstschule. 1971-92: taught illustration graphics at the Münster Fachhochschule. Herrmann’s studies under Pape of woodcutting made him a master of the technique.