Bauhaus Written Heritage

The Bauhaus school is at the narrative core of classical modernism worldwide, be it in architecture, design, art, pedagogy or theatre. In addition, the Bauhaus has also left behind a significant written heritage, which has so far had a secondary character in the consideration of the buildings, objects and images. However, the writing and publishing of theoretical as well as literary and administrative texts was one of the essential features of the Bauhaus as a school of modernism. Almost all of the teachers and more than a few of the students set out fundamentals in writing. These texts must be counted as an integral part of their work and teaching; the Bauhaus book and journal series bear exemplary witness to this.

The pilot projects “Bauhaus Written Heritage” (2020-2022) examine for the first time systematically and critically the textual legacy of the Bauhaus. They mark the beginning of a new research focus at the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. By placing a hitherto unique, concentrated focus on the written heritage, they enable an innovative approach to understanding the historical Bauhaus and lay the foundations for further research. In cooperation with international partner institutions, an interdisciplinary team of researchers will produce an annotated index of all texts written by members of the Bauhaus between 1919 and 1933 and two historical-critical editions.