self portrait with her daughters
Margarete Klopfleisch
Gretel Grossner, Artist, fighter for peace & antifascist activist.
(1911 – 1982) was born in Dresden, Germany. When Hitler came to power, because of her political anti-fascist activities she had to flee from her hometown over the Czech border to Prague.
Her artistic ability’s were first awakened as a model for life drawing classes run by Otto Dix at an art school in Dresden. When she asked for advice on how to become an artist, Otto Dix replied, ‘just take a pencil and paper and start.
In Prague she found an art teacher; Käte Schäffner who was a personal friend of Käte Kollwitz. This teacher in turn introduced Grete, as she was mostly known, to Professor Grund, a sculptor who in turn acquainted her with stone carving.
She became a member of the Oskar Kokoschka club and exhibited her work together among other fellow anti fascist artists, such as Max Zimmering, Kuba and Heartfield, just to mention a few.
When Hitler marched into the Czech Republic, Gretel had to flee again. On the 9th march 1939 she emigrated to England on the last transport to leave the Czech Republic.
In England Grete was employed as a house help by Ronald Penrose who in turn helped her with further studies, and she attended Professor Carter’s art classes at the Reading University. Ronald Penrose was a personal friend of Picasso and his house was full of Picasso’s artwork.
Like many emigrants she was also interned on the Isle of Mann.
After some years she made her home in Maidenhead. Throughout these difficult times Grete continued with her art. She has exhibited in London, Maidenhead, in Cookham, together with Stanley Spencer, in Reading and many other places.
Eventually Grete returned to Dresden to Germany 1960 ‘for a holiday of no return’.
Our life in the GDR became a balancing act between two worlds, tight rope walking. We were regarded with suspicion, mistrust and as spies by many people and eventually victims of the Stasi secret police.
The GDR authority refused to acknowledge and accept Grete’s art works. They did not want to give her recognition as an artist. Only one year before she died was she accepted as a member of Dresden Artists’ Union after a very successful exhibition of her artwork at the Gallery Comenius Dresden.
A further exhibition took place 1987 at the John Denham’s Gallery in London.
These two substantial shows of her work have secured her a place in today’s art world.
Two galleries in Germany possess a couple of her sculptures, Halle Moritzburg and Berlin.
Her biography can also be found in the book; ‘The dictionary of artists in Britain since 1945 by David Buckman. ‘Foreign artists of significant presence have been included in this book’. (Quote from introduction from this book.)
terracotta sculpture, Girl with dove. watercolour, Autumn landscape
watercolour, Maidenhead themes