Der Kunsthändler Johannes Hinrichsen

Abstract

Johannes Hinrichsen (born 1884 in Schleswig, perished 1971 in Altaussee) is to some extent still a phantom. Despite representing one of the most important German art dealers from the 1920ies to the 1940ies and being recorded in the list of Red Flag Names, his national and international trade network has not been the subject of academic research so far. This is partly due to the fact that a company archive is lacking, the older parts of which being burned in Berlin during the Second World War. There are also no remaining personal documents. Following intense research, at least some of Hinrichsen’s personal letters could be found within his family’s private archive in Northern Germany. Beyond that, at least part of Hinrichsen’s bankbooks have been recovered from Austrian private property. These offer far-reaching insights into his trade networks and are presented here for the first time ever to the academic public. Furthermore, this article analyzes sources related to the particular stages of Hinrichsen’s life. These include documents from his birthplace Schleswig, from the time he established himself as a sculptor and as an art dealer in Berlin and in Altaussee (Austria) as well as archival sources from higher level German authorities now held at the Federal Archives (Bundesarchiv) and the Archives of the Federal Monument Office (Bundesdenkmalamt) in Austria.

Keywords: Johannes Hinrichsen; Hermann Göring; Berlin; Altaussee/Austria; Red Flag Name