BIOGRAPHY: MATTHÄUS BAYER
Matthiäus Bayer, ‘Soldat der Westfront’ (‘Soldier of the Westfront’), GDK 1940 room 28. Bought by the city of Nürnberg, and given by the mayor to the Division Commander of the German Troops in Nürnberg. Depicted on the cover of the ‘Nürnberger Schau’, August 1940.
In the ‘Munich Administrative Records 1945-1951’ (publication number M1946, Recordgroup 260) it is recorded that the sculpture was in 1946 still stored in the cellars of the Haus der Deutschen Kunst.
‘Soldat der Westfront’, depicted in the personal photo album of Matthäus Bayer (below). Created ‘Am Westwall’, February-March 1940. ‘Frei in einen Kirschbaum stock gehauen’ (‘Carved from a cherry tree stump’).
Left: ‘Soldat der Westfront’ by Bayer, depicted in the magazine ‘Die Grüne Post’, 4 August 1940.
Right: ‘Soldat der Westfront’ by Bayer, depicted in the article ‘Das Anltitz Deutscher Kunst im Kriege‘, ‘Hamburger Tageblatt’, d.d. 27 July 1940.
Left: ‘Soldat der Westfront’ by Bayer, depicted in ‘Kunst in Deutschland 1933 – 1945’, ‘Mortimer G. Davidson, 1988.
Right: ‘Soldat der Westfront’ at the GDK 1940 room 28.
Left: ‘.. bought by the city of Nürnberg, and given by the mayor to the Division Commander of the German Troops in Nürnberg’, ‘Münchener Neueste Nachrichten’, 15 August 1940.
Right: photo in the files of the Zentral Institut für Kunstgeschichte.
Left: Matthäus Bayer, ‘Kamerad Pferd’ (‘Comrad Horse’), displayed at the Wehrmacht exhibition ‘Vom Nordkap bis zum Schwarzen Meer, -Künstler erleben den Krieg im Osten’, 1942, Historisches Stadtmuseum, München, organised by the Kulturamt München and the Generalkommando des VII. Armeekorps. Depicted on the cover of ‘Münchener Mosaik’, October 1942.
Right: the text in Bayers personal photo album reads:
‘Kameraden
In der Ugrastellung aus einem Föhrenstamm Freigehauen. Werkzeuge dazu z.t. aus Granatsplittern selbstgefertigt. Ostfront 1942.‘
‘Comrades
Hewn out of a pine trunk in the Ugra position. Tools partly made from shrapnel.
Eastern Front 1942.’
(the German Ugra positions where 150 km before Moscow)
Matthaus Bayer und ‘Kamerad Pferd’, published in the ‘Illustrierter Beobachter’, 8 October 1942.
Matthaus Bayer und ‘Kamerad Pferd’, published 27 September 1942 in ‘Der Stosstrupp’.
The text is about a soldier (Hans) and his loyal horse-comrade (Liese): ‘since 22 June 1941 they have shared the dangers, worries and hardships of the military advance and the hard winter battles’ (‘Seit dem 22. 6. 41 sind nun Hans und Liese beisammen, haben alle Gefahren, Sorgen und Nöte und allen kleinen Freuden des Vormarchers und der harten Winterkämpfe mitteinander erlebt…’).
‘Kamerad Pferd’, depicted in ‘Der Soldat zwischen Alpen und Donau‘, 1943 Folge 5.
Left: the beginning; a large pine trunk is removed from the forrest.
Matthäus Bayer, ‘Adler’ (‘Eagle’). ‘Für den Feierraum im Kameradschaftshaus der Portland Zementwerke Dykerhoff und Widmann – Wiesbaden. 1939 Ulmenholz‘ (‘For the Celebration Room of the Comradeship House of the Portland Cement Works Dykerhoff and Widmann – Wiesbaden. 1939 elm wood’).
Displayed at the ‘Reichshandwerksausstellung’, Frankfurt am Main, 1941.
Matthäus Bayer, ‘Mein Chef, Porträt von Major Hirschmann. In Eichenholz frei gehauen. Frankreich 1940‘ (‘My boss, portrait of Major Hirschmann. Carved from oak. France 1940‘).
Matthäus Bayer, ‘Sig. Zug. Holzrelief für die Max-Emanuelkaserne Ingolstadt 1944‘ (‘Ammunition Train. Wooden relief for the Max-Emanuel Barracks Ingolstadt 1944’).
‘Zugführer X Terrakotta 1944.
1. Preis Im Wetbewerb des Stellv. VII AK München für Freizeitgestaltung u. Truppenbetreuung‘
(‘Platoon Leader X Terracotta 1944.
1st prize in the competition of the Stellvertretende VII Armeekorps for Leisure Activities and Troop Support’).
‘MG-Schütze’ (‘Machine Gunner’, soldier in combat-ready stance, armed with an MG 42)
Displayed at the Grosse Deutsche Kunstausstellung 1944 room 32 (insured for 8,000 Reichsmark).
Given by the Infantry Regiment at the East Front in which Bayer served, to Paul Giesler, Gauleiter of Munich-Upper Bavaria, and Ministerpräsident of Bavaria.
Size: 3/4 life size.
Created at the front near Moscow, by Mattäus Bayer, sculptor and feldwebel (sergeant) in the Wehrmacht/ Infanterie-Geschütz-Ersatz-Kompagnie 407, Ingolstadt.
Signed:
‘OSTFRONT 1943
FW. MATTH. BAYER’
Executed in poplar-wood. Made from a 150 year old poplar tree trunk from the Sovkoz Terenina, a collective farm near the city of Smolensk, app 200 km away from Moscow. Terenina was occupied by the Germans from October 1941 to August 1943.
Map: village of Terenina.
‘MG-Schutze’, displayed at the Grosse Deutsche Kunstausstellung. Photo (below) from the personal photo album of Matthäus Bayer, in which the artist documented his pre-1945 works created at the Russian front, and at home. Titled ‘AUS MEINER ARBEIT’ and signed ‘Feldw. Matthäus Bayer, I. G. Ers. Kp. 407 Ingolstadt, 1943’ , in possession of German Art Gallery.
Notice the original GDK-base with the small nummer plaque.
The text at the back of the photo reads:
‘M.G. Schütze
Große deutsche Kunstauststellung 1944 im Haus der deutschen Kunst.
Geschenk einer im Osten eingesetzen Infanterie Division an den Heimatgau
zu Händen von Herrn Gauleiter Paul Giesler.
An der Ostfront 1943 entstanden.
Feldwebel Matth. Bayer’
‘M.G. Schütze
Great German Art Exhibition 1944 in the Haus of German Art.
A present of an Infantery Division active at the East Front, to the Heimatgau (Homegau)
Fore the attantion of Gauleiter Paul Giesler.
Created at the Ostfront.
Sergeant Matth. Bayer’
Paul Giesler (1895 – 1945) was a German Nazi Party politician and SA-Obergruppenführer. From 1941, he was the Gauleiter of Westphalia-South, and he was appointed to the same position for the Gau Munich-Upper Bavaria in 1942. From 2 November 1942 to 28 April 1945, he was also Ministerpräsident of Bavaria. Giesler was also named in Hitler’s Political Testament as Interior Minister, replacing Heinrich Himmler, in the short-lived Goebbels Cabinet. He committed suicide together with his wife in the closing days of the war in Europe.
‘MG-Schütze’, further depicted and described in the personal photo album of Matthäus Bayer.
The text reads: ‘Die Entstehung: Ein etwa 150 Jähriger Papelstamm aus dem Sowchos Terenino stellt das Material für beide Plastiken‘ (‘The creation: A 150-year-old poplar trunk from the Terenino state farm provides the material for both sculptures’). ‘Both sculptures’ refers to Bayer’s ‘MG-Schütze’ and ‘Grenadiere’ (‘Grenadiers’).
Russia, near Moscow, 6 March 1943.
Left: Russia, near Moscow, 10 March 1943.
Right: Russia, near Moscow, 1 April 1943 (notice at the background the sculpture ‘Grenadiere’ in progress; see below).
Left: Russia, 25 April 1943.
Right: Munich, 1944, Great German Art Exhibition.
Left: Russia, near Moscow, 1 April 1943 (notice at the background, left, the sculpture ‘Grenadiere’ in progress).
Right: ‘Grenadiere’ by Bayer. The text left reads: ‘in possession of Karl Wahl, Gauleiter of Swabia’. Karl Wahl (1892 – 1981) was the Gauleiter of Swabia from the Gau inception in 1928 until the collapse of Nazi Germany in 1945. After the war, Wahl spent 3½ years in jail before being released in 1949.
Further on in his album, Bayer wrote: ‘Im Auftrag meines Herrn Div. Kommandeurs Generalleutnant Greiner, -als Geschenk der Division an die Heimatgaue zum Dank für die Vorbildliche Betreuung frei in einem papelblock gehauen. Ostfront, März-Mai 43.‘ (‘On behalf of my Division Commander, Lieutenant General Greiner, -as a gift from the division to the home district in gratitude for the exemplary support, carved in a block of poplar. Eastern Front, March-May 43’). 
‘Grenadiere’ by Bayer, depicted in the ‘Neue Augsburger Zeitung’, 25 Juni 1943. According to the article, the ‘Grenadiere’ sculpture was given by the Commandor of a Swabian Stormtroop to Gaulieter Wahl.
‘Panzerknacker I und II’ (‘Tank Breaker I and II’)
Over life size figures, executed in oak wood (each 2.4 meter long)
Created in 1945 and placed in the Spreti Kaserne (barracks) in Ingolstadt (Grenadier-Ersatz-Battaillon 63).
Depicted are two soldiers in attack position, each holding a Panzerknacker (anti tank grenade) in their hand, ready for use against enemy tanks. They have both the Iron Cross 1st Class (EK1) prominently displayed on their chests, a grenade is attached to their belt, further emphasizing the combat readiness portrayed in the sculptures.
Depicted and described in the personal photo album of Matthäus Bayer.
The text reads:
‘PANZERKNACKER’ -IN EICHE AUS EINEM BLOCK FREIGEHAUEN 1945
GREN. ERS. BTL. 63, INGOLSTADT, SPRETI-KASERNE
(‘PANZERKNACKER‘ -CARVED FROM A SINGLE BLOCK OF OAK 1945
GREN. ERS. BTL. 63, INGOLSTADT, SPRETI-KASERNE)
The Panzerknacker, also known as ‘Hafthohlladung’ was a magnetically adhered, shaped charge anti-tank grenade used by German forces in World War II, and was sometimes described as a mine. The Panzerknacker was primarily used by Wehrmacht tank killer squads. Designed with three magnets at the base, each with a pair of poles creating a strong magnetic field across their gap, an infantryman could attach it to an enemy’s tank no matter the angle of the surface. However, since this required direct placement on an enemy tank by an infantryman, using the device was very dangerous, since the deploying infantryman placing it on an enemy fighting vehicle would be highly vulnerable to enemy fire. The Hafthohlladung device was very effective against armour, able to penetrate 140 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA).
Left: Matthäus Bayer, ‘Elch. Auf wünsch des Herrn O.B. der 4. Armee Generaloberst Heinrici Geschnitzt. Ostfront 1942. Papelholz‘ (‘Elk. Carved at the request of the Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army, Colonel General Heinrici. Eastern Front 1942. Poplar wood‘). Height 55 cm.
Matthäus Bayer, ‘Legende. Porträt des 16. Jahr. Reitpferdes v. Herrn Generaloberst Heinrici. Ostfront 1942. Russisch Ahorn‘ (‘Legend. Portrait of Colonel General Heinrici’s 16-year-old riding horse. Eastern Front 1942. Russian Maple‘).
Left: Matthäus Bayer, ‘Reliefs für das Bibliothekzimmer des KDF Dampfers‘ (‘Reliefs for the library room of a KDF-Steamer’).
Right: Matthäus Bayer, ‘Kl. Gotische Madonna, Schularbeit 1938, Apfelbaum‘ (‘Gothic Madonna, school-work 1938, apple tree’).
Personal photo album of Matthäus Bayer (in possession of German Art Gallery), in which the artist documented his pre-1945 works created at the Russian front, and at home. Titled ‘AUS MEINER ARBEIT’ and signed ‘Feldw. Matthäus Bayer, I.G.Ers.Kp.407 Ingolstadt, 1943’ (Infanterie-Geschütz-Ersatz-Kompagnie 407, Ingolstadt).
Left: Selfportrait in pastel, 1943.
Right: Matthäus Bayer, date of photo unknown.
Matthäus Bayer, sculptor at the front
Matthäus Bayer (1911 – 1990), born in Augsburg, was a German sculptor.
From 1924 – 1928 he studied wood carving in the Bavarian Allgäu. In 1937 he continued his wood carving study in Munich, as Meisterschüler under Professor Hans Panzer. Two years later, in 1939, he studied at the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich under Professor Josef Henselmann and made a study trip to Italy. Later in 1939 he was called up for military service. Bayer served as sergeant from 1939 to 1945 in the army, first in France, later in Russia. In 1945 he was taken prisoner of war. During his service, Bayer created at the front in France and Russia a series of impressive wooden sculptures, of which several where given by the army commanders to Gauleiters at home.
His sculptures were also placed in military barracks, like the ‘Sig. Zug. Holzrelief für die Max-Emanuelkaserne Ingolstadt 1944‘ (‘Ammunition Train. Wooden relief for the Max-Emanuel Barracks Ingolstadt 1944’).
In the beginning of 1945 he created the impressive Panzerknacker I und II’ (‘Tank Breaker I and II’) , over life size figures, each 2.4 meter long, executed in oak wood. The works were placed in the Spreti Kaserne (barracks) in Ingolstadt (Grenadier-Ersatz-Battaillon 63).
Bayer showed his wood sculpture ‘Soldat der Westfront’ (‘Soldier of the Westfront’) at the Grosse Deutsche Kunstausstellung 1940. Several newspapers wrote about the work, which was bought by the city of Nürnberg, and given by the mayor to the Division Commander of the German Troops in Nürnberg.
Bayer wrote in his personal photo album: ‘Soldat der Westfront, Am Westwall Febr -März 1940 Frei in einen Kirschbaum Stock gehauen’ (‘Soldier of the Wesdtfront, created at the Westwall February-March 1940 Carved from a cherry tree stump’).
At the Grosse Deutsche Kunstausstellung 1944, Bayer displayed his ‘MG-Schütze’ (‘Machine Gunner’, soldier in combat-ready stance, armed with an MG 42). The work, insured for 8,000 Reichsmark, was given by the Infantry Regiment at the East Front in which Bayer served, to Paul Giesler, Gauleiter of Munich-Upper Bavaria, and Ministerpräsident of Bavaria.
Bayer created ‘MG-Schütze’ in 1943 at the front 200 kilometers before Moscow. The sculpture, signed: ‘OSTFRONT 1943, FW. MATTH. BAYER’, was made from a 150 year old poplar tree trunk from the Sovkoz Terenina, a collective farm located between the city of Smolensk and Moscow. The Terenina erea was occupied by the Germans from October 1941 to August 1943.
The personal photo album of Matthäus Bayer, in which the artist documented his pre-1945 works created at the Russian front, and at home, contains various photos of the making of the sculpture in Russia (‘AUS MEINER ARBEIT’ and signed ‘Feldw. Matthäus Bayer, I. G. Ers. Kp. 407 Ingolstadt, 1943’ , in possession of German Art Gallery).
In March/May 1943, at the same place at the front near Moscow, Bayer created his work ‘Grenadiere’ (‘Grenadiers’). In his personal photo album, Bayer wrote: ‘in possession of Karl Wahl, Gauleiter of Swabia’. According to the ‘Neue Augsburger Zeitung’, 25 Juni 1943, ‘Grenadiere’ by Bayer was given by the Commandor of a Swabian Stormtroop to Gauleiter Wahl. Further on in his album, Bayer wrote: ‘Im Auftrag meines Herrn Div. Kommandeurs Generalleutnant Greiner, -als Geschenk der Division an die Heimatgaue zum Dank für die Vorbildliche Betreuung frei in einem papelblock gehauen. Ostfront, März-Mai 43.‘ (‘On behalf of my Division Commander, Lieutenant General Greiner, -as a gift from the division to the home district in gratitude for the exemplary support, carved in a block of poplar. Eastern Front, March-May 43.’
Other sculptures of Matthäus Bayer, given to the military, or given by the military to others
a. ‘Geschenk der 268. Infanterie Division an den Heimatswehrkreis‘. Present of the 268. Infantery Division to their Heimatwehrkreis, Wehrkreis VII, the military district headquatered at Munich, containing the south of Bavaria. Wehrkreis VII was the home of the VII Army Corps (no depiction);
b. ‘Elch. Auf wünsch des Herrn O.B. der 4. Armee Generaloberst Heinrici Geschnitzt. Ostfront 1942. Papelholz‘ (‘Elk. Carved at the request of the Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army, Colonel General Heinrici. Eastern Front 1942. Poplar wood‘). Height 55 cm;
c. ‘Legende. Porträt des 16. Jahr. Reitpferdes v. Herrn Generaloberst Heinrici. Ostfront 1942. Russisch Ahorn‘ (‘Legend. Portrait of Colonel General Heinrici’s 16-year-old riding horse. Eastern Front 1942. Russian Maple‘);
d. ‘St. Barbara, Geburtstaggeschenk für den 1a der 4. Armee auf Wünsch von Herrn O.B. Generaloberst Heinrici, Ahorn Holz, Ostfront 43.’ (‘St. Barbara, birthday present for the General Staff Officer of the 4th Army at the request of Generaloberst Heinrici, maple wood, Eastern Front 43’ (no depiction);
e. ‘Weihnachtskrippe, Weihnachtsgeschenk für Herrn Generalleutnant Greiner, Ostfront 1942’ (‘Christmas crib, Christmas present for Lieutenant General Greiner, Eastern Front 1942’;
After 1945, Bayer avoided public exhibitions. From 1947 – 1950, Bayer worked as Head of the Lehrwerkstätte für Holzbildhauer (‘apprentice workshop in wood-sculpting’) at the Luisenschule in Munich. From 1950 onwards, he worked as independant, self employed artist and made every year study trips through Europe. In 1966 he moved to the village of Heufeld, near Bad Aibling.
After 1955, Bayer focused on ecclesiastical sculpting; he worked with bronze, iron, enamel, lead, wood, stone, and glass. Works included: the ‘Tabernakel aus Christkönig‘, height 2 meter, Fessenheim, 1963; ‘Himmlisches Jerusalem’, a wooden cross of 3.5 x 3.5 meter, St. Pius X Church, Mühldorf am Inn, 1965 (Bavaria); ‘Christus Corpus’, oak, 4.4 meter high, Mainz, 1977 and the ‘HI Ulrich, Bischop of Augsburg from 923 – 973‘, Untgerschleissheim, 1995.
Other exhibitions before 1945
In 1938/39, Bayer displayed a ‘Bannadler der Hitlerjugend’ at the ‘2. Deutsche Architektur und Kunsthandwerk Ausstellung’ (room 8, listed under nummer 102). Described in the personal photo album of Matthäus Bayer: ‘Adler, für den Feierraum eines Hitlerjugendheims, -Ulmenholz‘ (‘Eagle, for the Celebratrion Room of a Hitlerjugend Haus, -elm wood’).
In 1939, Bayer won the title ‘Reichssieger im Handwerker Wettkampf 1939’ at the ‘Handwerkers-Wettkampf in der Reichsdienststelle des Deutschen Handwerks in der Deutschen Arbeitsfront‘ (a craftsmen competition).
In the same year, Bayer participated at the ‘Reichshandwerksausstellung’ in Frankfurt am Main.
Again in 1939, Bayer created in elm wood the figure ‘Adler’ (‘Eagle’), ‘Für den Feierraum im Kameradschaftshaus der Portland Zementwerke Dykerhoff und Widmann in Wiesbaden‘ (For the Celebration Room of the Comradeship House of the Portland Cement Works Dykerhoff and Widmann – Wiesbaden). The work was displayed at the ‘Reichshandwerksausstellung’, Frankfurt am Main, 1941.
In 1940, one of Bayers works was shown in the Wochenschau.
Two years later, Bayer displayed ‘Kamerad Pferd’ (‘Comrade Horse’), at the Wehrmacht exhibition ‘Vom Nordkap bis zum Schwarzen Meer, -Künstler erleben den Krieg im Osten’, 1942, Historisches Stadtmuseum, München, organized by the Kulturamt München and the Generalkommando des VII. Armeekorps. ‘Kamerad Pferd’ was extensively depicted in various newspapers and magazines, inter alia on the cover of ‘Münchener Mosaik’, October 1942, and in the ‘Illustrierter Beobachter’, 8 October 1942. In his personal photo album, Bayer wrote ‘Comrade Horse, hewn out of a pine trunk in the Ugra position. Tools partly made from shrapnel. East Front 1942‘ (‘Kameraden, in der Ugrastellung aus einem Föhrenstamm Freigehauen. Werkzeuge dazu z.t. aus Granatsplittern selbstgefertigt. Ostfront 1942’. The German Ugra positions were app 150 kilometers before Moscow.
Bayers work ‘Gefangene Sowjets’ (‘Captured Soviets’, a design in terracotta for the cycle ‘Feldzug im Osten, Ingolstadt 1943’), was displayed at the exhibition ‘Im Banne der Rollbahn’, München-Hannover, 1944 (‘Rollbahn’ likely refers to key routes designated by the German army during the war).
Again in 1944, he won with ‘Zugführer X Terrakotta 1944’ (‘Platoon Leader X Terracotta 1944’) the ‘1. Preis Im Wetbewerb des Stellv. VII AK München für Freizeitgestaltung u. Truppenbetreuung‘ (‘1st prize in the competition of the Stellvertretende VII Armeekorps for Leisure Activities and Troop Support’).