Tucked away in the attic of the Gertrudenkapelle in Güstrow lies a place that is rarely open to the public: the apartment of sculptor Margarethe Böhmer, the partner of Ernst
Anyone who visits the Gertruden Chapel in Güstrow does so to see the works of Ernst Barlach. Few people know that above the exhibition space, hidden under the roof, there is an apartment that was once inhabited by the sculptor Margarethe Böhmer, Barlach’s partner.
A place that is otherwise off-limits
The rooms in the attic are not normally open to the public. On this special tour, Dr. Magdalena Schulz-Ohm, director of the Ernst Barlach Museums in Güstrow, opens the door and guides visitors through the preserved apartment. She will talk about everyday life in this unusual place, the history of the late-Gothic chapel, and how a sacred space became both a museum and a private home.
An Artist in the Shadows—and Emerging from Them
Margarethe Böhmer was a sculptor in her own right. For decades, she was primarily known for her role as Ernst Barlach’s partner and as the one who preserved his work throughout the Nazi era and the postwar years and made it accessible to the public. The tour also focuses on her life and on the question of how the biographies of female artists are told—and how they are overshadowed.
Good to Know
The tour lasts about 60 minutes. Since the apartment is accessible only via a narrow, steep staircase, the number of participants is limited, and unfortunately, the venue is not accessible. Registration is recommended.
