Ernst Stahl: Reconstruction of medieval castles from 1907 to 1957
Doctoral candidate: Marco Langhard, M. Sc.
Supervisor: Prof. Eva von Engelberg-Dočkal
The romantically inspired "castle renaissance" of the 19th century took various forms: Castles were restored and rebuilt in a variety of ways, artificial castles and castle ruins were recreated. Wartburg Castle and Hohkönigsburg Castle are just two of the most prominent examples. However, the fact that the "castle renaissance" did not end with the turn of the century is demonstrated by the almost complete reconstruction of Stahleck Castle in the 1920s by the architect Ernst Stahl. During his creative period in the first half of the 20th century, Stahl left his mark on the castle landscape of the former Rhine Province, including the restoration of Eltz Castle and Thurandt Castle. As a student of Paul Clemen, Stahl was influenced by the idea of homeland protection, and his restorations show signs of the homeland protection architecture that was based on it. Stahl's architectural approach to castles can be considered exemplary for castle restoration in the Weimar Republic. In contrast to other well-known castle restorers, however, Stahl's work did not receive the attention it deserves either during his lifetime or today. This research desideratum forms the starting point of Marco Langhard's current dissertation project.