Hugo (1880–1950) and Gertrud Simon (née Oswald, 1885–1964) were Jewish collectors and political and social activists. Their extensive collection, comprising at least 230 modern artworks and considered one of the most important in Berlin at the time, was dispersed due to Nazi persecution. [FIGS. 1–3].
Hugo established a private bank in Berlin in 1911 and soon after started collecting art with a concentration on paintings and sculptures by German Expressionists such as Ludwig Meidner, Max Hermann Pechstein, Franz Marc, Lyonel Feininger, Otto Mueller and Ernst Barlach, among others. Over a long period, Simon was a loyal client of the gallerists Alfred Flechtheim, Ferdinand Möller and Paul Cassirer. It was Cassirer who in 1924 was responsible for the remodeling of the Villa Simon on Drakestrasse 3 [FIG. 4, 5]. Here, many of the artworks of collection found their place, creating a luxurious ambience captured by in the photos of Waldemar Titzenthaler (1869–1937), published in November 1928 in the prestigious society magazine Die Dame. [FIG. 6, 7]
At the villa, the Simons received prominent guests such as Thomas Mann who had just won the Nobel Prize. On 20 December 1929 he read privately from his unpublished manuscript of Tales of Jaakob at a benefit event for Jewish old-age assistance. In July 1930 the Simons hosted a breakfast reception in honor of Aristide Maillol. [FIG. 8, 9]
A close friend of the Simons, Harry Graf Kessler (1868-1937), noted in his diary on 15 July 1930 about the breakfast reception in honour of Aristide Maillol at the Simons’ villa:
‘Large breakfast in honor of Maillol at Hugo Simon’s. Einstein, Max Liebermann, Renée Sintenis ... Meier-Graefes. I showed him, when Einstein entered, Maillol. He said, “Oui, une belle tête; c’est une poète?” I had to explain to him who Einstein was; he had obviously never heard of him. Afterwards they were photographed together. Before breakfast, Maillol had been to the Kronprinzenpalais, where he had particularly liked the sculptures by Renée Sintenis.… In front of Demeter's small stone relief Maillol told me, “C'est le seul des mes élèves qui m’a compris.” (”He was the only one of my students who understood me.”) … Flechtheim had busily used the morning to bring Maillol to his gallery and photograph him there with Barlach.’
They were active patrons of the arts, supporting the Berlin Secession (1898–1913). [FIG. 10] Following the abolition of the Prussian monarchy in 1919, Hugo was instrumental in setting up the Neue Abteilung (New Department) of the Nationalgalerie (National Gallery) in the Kronprinzenpalais (Crown Prince’s Palace) and was appointed by Director Ludwig Justi (1876-1957) as an expert to the newly structured acquisitions committee. He was also co-organiser of the great celebration of Alfred Flechtheim’s 50th birthday in April 1928, and from its founding in 1929 was a member of the board of the Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie (Association of the Friends of the National Gallery).
The Simons were also engaged in left-wing politics from the outbreak of World War I until their exile. In addition to their Jewish backgrounds, their activism would eventually leave them a target for the Nazis. In 1914, Hugo participated in the antiwar movement and founded the pacifist organisation Bund Neues Vaterland (German League for Human Rights). He sympathised with the Marxist revolutionary movement Spartakusbund (Spartacus League), led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, and financed several of their activities.
%2C%201924%2C%20lithographie.jpg)
From November 1918 until early January 1919 Hugo was Prussian finance minister by the Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany), or the USPD.
When the Nazis were elected to government on 30 January 1933 the Simons immediately fled to France where they lived until their final departure from Europe. In Paris, Hugo reopened a private bank and was actively involved in the refugee aid of the Rothschild Committee, but above all participated in the resistance against Nazi Germany and the formation of a German popular front, finally financing the Paris daily newspaper (Pariser Tageszeitung) from 1937.
As a political refugee recognised by the French government, Hugo was spared internment in a French camp at the outbreak of war in 1939. But when German troops marched into Paris in June 1940 and occupied the northern part of France, the Simons were forced to leave Paris. Via southern France, where they hid for months, and northern Spain, they reached Rio de Janeiro on March 3, 1941, after great hardships and under a false name (Garina and Hubert Studenic) on the Cabo de Hornos. [FIG. 11] Simon lived in simple circumstances in Brazil until his death in 1950. Gertrud died in 1964. The Simons never returned to Europe.
Lyonel Feininger’s painting Alt-Sallenthin, 1912, was with the I. B. Neumann gallery before it was acquired by Hugo and passed on to his son-in-law Wolf Demeter (1906–1978) [FIG. 12]. , married to Ursula Simon (1911–1983). To finance their escape from German-occupied France to Brazil Demeter had to sell the work in 1940. When Feininger’s painting appeared at Christie’s a settlement was reached between the consignor and the heirs of Hugo Simon and Wolf Demeter. It was offered on 12 November 2019 pursuant an agreement between the parties [FIG. 13].
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Quote sample text
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
From November 1918 until early January 1919 Hugo was Prussian finance minister by the Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany), or the USPD.
When the Nazis were elected to government on 30 January 1933 the Simons immediately fled to France where they lived until their final departure from Europe. In Paris, Hugo reopened a private bank and was actively involved in the refugee aid of the Rothschild Committee, but above all participated in the resistance against Nazi Germany and the formation of a German popular front, finally financing the Paris daily newspaper (Pariser Tageszeitung) from 1937.
As a political refugee recognised by the French government, Hugo was spared internment in a French camp at the outbreak of war in 1939. But when German troops marched into Paris in June 1940 and occupied the northern part of France, the Simons were forced to leave Paris. Via southern France, where they hid for months, and northern Spain, they reached Rio de Janeiro on March 3, 1941, after great hardships and under a false name (Garina and Hubert Studenic) on the Cabo de Hornos. [FIG. 11] Simon lived in simple circumstances in Brazil until his death in 1950. Gertrud died in 1964. The Simons never returned to Europe.
Lyonel Feininger’s painting Alt-Sallenthin, 1912, was with the I. B. Neumann gallery before it was acquired by Hugo and passed on to his son-in-law Wolf Demeter (1906–1978) [FIG. 12]. , married to Ursula Simon (1911–1983). To finance their escape from German-occupied France to Brazil Demeter had to sell the work in 1940. When Feininger’s painting appeared at Christie’s a settlement was reached between the consignor and the heirs of Hugo Simon and Wolf Demeter. It was offered on 12 November 2019 pursuant an agreement between the parties [FIG. 13].
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Quote sample text
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Quote sample text
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
Related addresses: Schöneberger Ufer 38 until May 1935 (Architect: Heinrich Schweitzer); Schöneberger Ufer 71
Budapester Strasse (1932) not identical with today’s Budapester Strasse; Lützowstrasse 32 I (October 1925–1930); Königin-Augusta-Strasse 22 (October 1930–1932) - in 1933 this street becomes Tirpitzufer 84 and in 1947 it was renamed to Reichpietschufer. Lützowufer 19a (November 1932–1937), since 1933: Galerie Nierendorf; Großadmiral-von-Koester-Ufer 65 (1935–1947), Schöneberger Ufer.
Potsdamer Strasse 134c (Mid-Oct 1918-Sept 1924); Schöneberger Ufer 38 (July 1927-1931); Großadmiral-von-Koester-Ufer 39 respectively (since 1936) Großadmiral-von-Koester-Ufer 73 (1935-1939);Kluckstrasse 12 (May 1939 –Dec 1949)
Employee and partner at the Galerie / Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer
Related addresses: Street partially still exists as Hitzigallee.
Related addresses: Koenigin-Augusta-Strasse 46, in 1933 becomes Tirpitzufer 84, in 1947 becomes Reichpietschufer. Her last address in Berlin before deportation to Theresienstadt Bleibtreustrasse 17.
ALL BUILDINGS ARE DESTROYED
%2C%200152454.png)
Henry van de Velde (1894-1943), designer of the interior of the reading room at the gallery Paul Cassirer, Victoria Strasse 35.
(Street and building are destroyed)
Related addresses: Reichskammer der Bildenden Künste, Government agency 1933-1945; Blumes Hof 4-6 (since June 1934; street and building are destroyed; today's postcode 10785), Derfflingerstrasse 7 (from October 1935 until March 1937), Ahornstrasse 2 (1938). Today's postcode 10785
