Josef Kaiser. Bauen für die DDR / Building for the GDR
Thomas Köhler/Philip Kurz/Ursula Müller/Berlinische Galerie

Josef Kaiser (1910–1991) had a major influence on East German architecture. Between 1950 and 1984, his main focus was on designing prestigious government buildings including the Maxhütte cultural center in Unterwellenborn (Thuringia) and modern structures on Berlin’s Karl-Marx-Allee, such as the Kino International film theater. Regarded as an expression of a new dawn in society, his architecture attracted international attention. Many of his buildings now have landmark status. This richly illustrated book offers the essays present current research, supplemented by a list of his works, project descriptions, and a biography. Historical plans, photographs, and documents make his work directly accessible, while contemporary artistic positions offer new angles on Kaiser’s legacy and the history of architecture in East and West Germany.