Biography

Will Grohmann was born on 4 December 1887 in Bautzen and died on 6 May 1968 in Berlin. As a writer on art, critic, curator, and networker, first based in Berlin and then in Dresden, he was a tireless and passionate advocate and defender of modern and contemporary art. His spectrum covered everything from expressionism to Informel.


4 Dec. 1887
born in Bautzen (Saxony)
1894-1898
attends Bürgerschule in Dresden
1898-1907
attends Gymnasium zum Heiligen Kreuz, Dresden
1908-1913
university studies in Leipzig und Paris: art history, literature, philosophy, Oriental studies
1913-1914
member of the Forschungsinstitut für vergleichende Universalgeschichte, Leipzig [research institute for comparative universal history]
1914
Ph.D., Universität Leipzig
state exam for teaching in advanced secondary schools
1914-1918
declared capable to serve at garrison, therefore deputized to advanced secondary
1916
marries Gertrud Vieweg (1879–1965)
1918
decorated with the Knight’s Cross Second Class of the Saxon-Ernestine House Order
tenure as teacher at the König Georg-Gymnasium, Dresden
1919
member of the Novembergruppe and Dresdner Sezession Gruppe 1919
1923
contributing editor of Cicerone and the Thieme-Becker-Künstlerlexikon
member of the SPD until its dissolution
1924
member of Freunde des Bauhauses and the League for Human Rights
1926
part-time scholarly work at Staatliche Gemäldegalerie Dresden
helps organize the Internationale Kunstausstellung Dresden
1928
first publication in Cahiers d’art
1933
after dismissal from all public offices (with pension rights) he becomes a freelance writer on art and critic
member in the Reichsverband der Deutschen Schriftsteller [writers’ association]
1936
member of Reichsschrifttumskammer
publications in Cahiers d’art, Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, and Das Reich
1937
denounced as ‘critic during the Weimar period‘ in the Munich Degenerate Art exhibition
1945
head of the culture department in the city government of Dresden
later assistant secretary of state in the state administration of Saxony
1946
Rector of the Hochschule für Werkkunst, Dresden
Professor for art history (until end of February 1948)
adopts Elena Werling, generally called Christinchen (born on 27 February1932 in Kovno, Lithuania)
1948
move to Berlin (West)
Professor of art history at Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Berlin (Mai 1948)
chief critic for Die Neue Zeitung
also works for the radio station RIAS, Berlin
1955
honorary member of the International Council of the Museum of Modern Art, New York
seit 1955
editor at the art magazine Quadrum, Brussels
also publishes in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Tagesspiegel
1957
Appointed full professor
1958
Professor emeritus
chairman of the German section of the Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art (honorary president from 1962 onwards)
1959
receives the Italian literature award of Viareggio
1960
awarded Grand Merit Cross of the German Order of Merit
1966
marries Annemarie Zilz (1921–1970)
1967
co-founder and first president of the Institut für moderne Kunst in Nurenberg
endowment of the Will Grohmann-Preis by the Berliner Kunstverein
honorary member of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin
06.05.1968
dies in Berlin