AQA A-Level German (7662)

## Learning Outcomes

- Understand how art and architecture in the German-speaking world reflect history, politics and identity
- Identify the main features of major architectural periods from the Middle Ages to the present
- Explain the significance of key movements such as Jugendstil, Bauhaus, Expressionismus and Neue Sachlichkeit
- Compare reconstruction, restoration and modern redevelopment after 1945
- Discuss differences between BRD and DDR architecture with relevant examples
- Use precise German vocabulary and complex structures for Paper 3 speaking answers

## AQA A-Level German (7662) Syllabus

For the AQA A-Level German (7662), you are expected to understand art and architecture across time in the German-speaking world, with a focus on the following syllabus points:

- Know the main characteristics of important architectural styles up to **1900**, including **Romanik**, **Gotik**, **Barock** and **Klassizismus**
- Identify key artists, architects and movements linked to German-speaking culture, including **Jugendstil**, **Bauhaus** and modern art
- Explain how buildings and artworks reflect social values, religion, power, war, division and reunification
- Understand the debate between **Denkmalschutz** and modern urban development
- Distinguish between **Wiederaufbau**, **Rekonstruktion** and more modern forms of **Neuaufbau**
- Compare architecture in the **BRD** and the **DDR** after **1945**
- Discuss how architecture can express **Erinnerungskultur**, for example through memorials and reconstruction
- Develop and justify personal opinions in German using specific examples from the German-speaking world

## Test Your Knowledge

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. What are the main features of Romanik, Gotik and Barock architecture?
2. Why is Bauhaus such an important example for 20th-century German-speaking architecture?
3. How did architecture in East Germany differ from architecture in West Germany after 1945?
4. What is the difference between reconstruction and restoration?
5. Why are buildings such as the Reichstag, the Frauenkirche and the Holocaust Memorial often discussed as political as well as artistic examples?

## Introduction

For Paper 3 speaking, this subtopic is much broader than a list of famous buildings or painters. A strong answer shows that **Kunst** and **Architektur** are linked to society. Buildings show what a country values: religion, monarchy, modernity, memory, housing, democracy or economic growth. Art does the same thing in visual form. That is why exam answers should not just describe style, but explain what the style meant in its historical moment.

In the German-speaking world, this topic is especially rich because architecture was shaped by the Holy Roman Empire, industrialisation, modernism, Nazism, wartime destruction, division between East and West, and reunification. This gives you many chances to compare past, present and future. Useful German terms include **die Baukunst** (architecture), **der Baustil** (architectural style), **das Bauwerk** (building), **die Stilrichtung** (artistic style), **der Wiederaufbau** (rebuilding), and **die Kunstfreiheit** (freedom of art).

> **Key Term: Kunstfreiheit**
> The principle that art is free from state control; in Germany this is protected by **Artikel 5 Absatz 3** of the Basic Law: _Kunst und Wissenschaft, Forschung und Lehre sind frei._

### Architektur bis 1900: Stil, Macht und Identität

A useful way to revise early architecture is to ask: what was the building for, and what message did it send?

In the Middle Ages, architecture was strongly linked to religion and collective belief. **Romanik** (roughly **1000-1250**) is often heavy, solid and defensive in appearance. Thick walls, rounded arches and small windows were common. Churches from this period often feel stable and massive. A case such as the **Speyerer Dom** shows how Romanesque architecture expressed both religious authority and imperial power. The message was permanence.

**Gotik** developed later and looked very different. Gothic buildings used pointed arches, ribbed vaults and much greater height. Large windows allowed more light into churches. The result was not just technical progress. It changed the emotional effect of the building. A structure like the **Kölner Dom** draws the eye upward and creates a sense of spiritual aspiration. In exam terms, do not only say that Gothic is “higher”. Explain why height and light mattered: they made religious experience feel more dramatic and more heavenly.

> **Key Term: Romanik**
> A medieval architectural style marked by thick walls, rounded arches and a solid, heavy appearance.
>
> **Key Term: Gotik**
> A medieval architectural style marked by height, pointed arches, vaulting and large windows, often used in cathedrals.

From the **Barock** period (**c. 1600-1750**) onwards, architecture became more theatrical. Rulers and the Church used buildings to impress. Baroque architecture is often **prunkvoll** (ornate), highly decorated and full of movement. The **Würzburger Residenz** is a good example because it shows representation and status, not simple function. Decoration, ceiling paintings and grand staircases all create a controlled display of wealth and authority.

By contrast, **Klassizismus** reacted against excess and looked back to ancient Greece and Rome. Clear lines, symmetry and columns suggested order, reason and restraint. The **Brandenburger Tor** in Berlin is a high-value example because it shows how architecture can use classical forms to project seriousness, civic identity and state power.

By the 19th century, **Historismus** mixed and revived older styles. This tells you something important: architecture is often about memory and identity even before modern remembrance debates. Cities wanted buildings that looked impressive and linked them to an admired past.

For speaking answers, try this pattern in German: _Die Architektur dieser Epoche war nicht nur ästhetisch, sondern auch politisch und gesellschaftlich bedeutsam._ That moves you beyond description.

> **Test Tip:** If you are asked to discuss architecture “across time”, do not try to mention every period. Choose two or three periods and compare them clearly: for example, medieval religious power, Baroque representation, and modern functionalism.

### Kunst und Moderne: vom Jugendstil bis zum Bauhaus

When you move into the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the key issue is the break with older traditions. Artists and architects began to ask whether art should copy the past or create a new visual language for modern life.

In Vienna around the turn of the century, **Jugendstil** became highly influential. This movement is linked to decoration, elegant line, floral forms and the idea of the **Gesamtkunstwerk**, where architecture, furniture, design and painting belong together. Important names include **Gustav Klimt**, **Otto Wagner** and **Josef Hoffmann**. Klimt’s **Der Kuss** is useful because it shows typical Jugendstil qualities: ornament, symbolism and the merging of forms. Otto Wagner matters because his buildings show that beauty and practicality can be combined.

> **Key Term: Jugendstil**
> The German-speaking form of Art Nouveau around the turn of the 20th century, marked by decoration, organic forms and the idea of uniting art with daily life.

A common exam mistake is to describe Jugendstil as “just decorative”. That is too simple. It was also a response to modern urban life. It tried to make everyday surroundings more artistic. In that sense, it linked culture with ordinary experience.

Then came more radical changes. **Expressionismus** in art used distortion, strong colour and subjectivity. Artists were less interested in realistic surfaces and more interested in inner emotion. This matters historically because early 20th-century society was marked by anxiety, rapid change and later war. Expressionist art often feels intense because it is trying to express mental or emotional truth, not visual accuracy.

After this, **Neue Sachlichkeit** in the 1920s moved in another direction. Instead of emotional distortion, it often showed society in a sober, sharp and critical way. This is useful in speaking exams because it lets you compare two movements directly: Expressionism is more subjective; New Objectivity is cooler and more socially observant.

The best-known architectural break with the past is **Bauhaus**, founded in **1919** by **Walter Gropius**. Bauhaus rejected unnecessary ornament and argued that form should follow function. Buildings and objects should be clear, useful and suited to modern life. The **Bauhaus Dessau** building is a classic example: clean lines, glass, steel and a practical layout. It represents modernity, industry and social change.

> **Key Term: Bauhaus**
> A German school of art, design and architecture founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius, associated with functional, minimalist modernism.

Why is Bauhaus so useful in an oral exam? Because it gives you an easy contrast with both Baroque and Jugendstil. Baroque seeks splendour. Jugendstil often values ornament and total design. Bauhaus strips away decoration and asks what is necessary. It is also a strong example of how German-speaking culture influenced architecture far beyond Germany itself.

You can also use art examples to show change across time. **Albrecht Dürer** can represent Renaissance humanism and careful observation. **Caspar David Friedrich** can represent **Romantik**, where nature reflects the inner self. **Gerhard Richter** can represent post-war and contemporary art, especially because his work often moves between abstraction and representation.

#### German Language Toolkit

##### Topic vocabulary

| German                | English                       |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| die Baukunst          | architecture                  |
| der Baustil           | architectural style           |
| das Bauwerk           | building                      |
| die Fassade           | façade                        |
| die Kuppel            | dome                          |
| das Gewölbe           | vault                         |
| der Pfeiler           | pillar                        |
| der Jugendstil        | Art Nouveau                   |
| das Gesamtkunstwerk   | total artwork                 |
| die Secession         | Secession movement            |
| der Expressionismus   | Expressionism                 |
| die Neue Sachlichkeit | New Objectivity               |
| das Bauhaus           | Bauhaus                       |
| der Funktionalismus   | functionalism                 |
| der Wiederaufbau      | rebuilding                    |
| die Rekonstruktion    | reconstruction                |
| der Denkmalschutz     | heritage protection           |
| die Erinnerungskultur | culture of remembrance        |
| der Plattenbau        | prefabricated apartment block |
| die Kunstfreiheit     | freedom of art                |

##### Complex sentence patterns

- _Obwohl viele historische Gebäude sehr teuer im Unterhalt sind, spielen sie weiterhin eine wichtige Rolle für die kulturelle Identität._  
  Although many historic buildings are expensive to maintain, they still play an important role in cultural identity.

- _Wenn man die Architektur verschiedener Epochen vergleicht, erkennt man schnell, wie stark sie von politischen und gesellschaftlichen Entwicklungen geprägt wurde._  
  If one compares the architecture of different periods, one quickly sees how strongly it was shaped by political and social developments.

- _Ich bin der Meinung, dass Bauhaus bis heute relevant ist, weil Funktionalität und Schlichtheit auch im 21. Jahrhundert geschätzt werden._  
  I think that Bauhaus is still relevant today because functionality and simplicity are valued in the 21st century too.

- _Während der Barock vor allem Macht und Reichtum darstellen sollte, legte das Bauhaus mehr Wert auf Zweckmäßigkeit._  
  Whereas Baroque aimed above all to display power and wealth, Bauhaus placed more value on practicality.

- _Ein Gebäude, das mich besonders beeindruckt, ist der Reichstag, dessen Glaskuppel oft als Symbol der Transparenz interpretiert wird._  
  A building that particularly impresses me is the Reichstag, whose glass dome is often interpreted as a symbol of transparency.

- _Man könnte argumentieren, dass Rekonstruktionen problematisch sind, da sie zwar Geschichte sichtbar machen, aber nicht mehr völlig authentisch sind._  
  One could argue that reconstructions are problematic, since they make history visible but are no longer fully authentic.

- _Nachdem viele Städte 1945 schwer zerstört worden waren, musste man entscheiden, ob man sie originalgetreu wiederaufbauen oder modernisieren sollte._  
  After many cities had been heavily destroyed in 1945, people had to decide whether to rebuild them faithfully or modernise them.

##### Opinion and argument phrases

- _Meiner Meinung nach..._  
  In my opinion...

- _Es lässt sich argumentieren, dass..._  
  It can be argued that...

- _Einerseits ... andererseits ..._  
  On the one hand ... on the other hand ...

- _Ich würde behaupten, dass..._  
  I would claim that...

- _Das hängt davon ab, ob..._  
  That depends on whether...

### Nach 1945 bis heute: Wiederaufbau, DDR, BRD und Erinnerungskultur

After **1945**, architecture in Germany became a question of survival, politics and memory. Many cities were in ruins after bombing. The first issue was practical: where would people live and work? But there was also a cultural issue: should destroyed cities be rebuilt as they were before, or should a new Germany build something different?

> **Key Term: Wiederaufbau**
> The rebuilding of cities and buildings after destruction, especially after the Second World War.

This leads to an essential distinction:

- **Restaurierung** means repairing and preserving what survives.
- **Rekonstruktion** means rebuilding a lost structure, often trying to copy the original.
- **Neuaufbau** means constructing something new rather than recreating the old.

Students often blur these terms, but examiners reward precise use. The **Frauenkirche** in Dresden, reopened in **2005**, is a strong example of reconstruction. Many people see it as a symbol of reconciliation and historical healing. But there is also a critical point: however faithful the rebuilding is, it is still not the untouched original. This is why authenticity can be debated.

> **Key Term: Rekonstruktion**
> The rebuilding of a destroyed historic structure, usually based on earlier designs, raising questions about authenticity.

In the **BRD** and **DDR**, architecture developed differently. In West Germany, architecture was generally more plural and influenced by international modernism. Glass, steel and concrete became common. There was more space for commercial development and different styles. Yet this was not automatically better. Some critics argue that car-centred rebuilding and demolition damaged older urban character.

In East Germany, architecture was more directly shaped by the state. Early socialist building could be monumental and ideological. **Karl-Marx-Allee** is a classic case. Later, the need for mass housing led to widespread **Plattenbau** construction. Prefabricated buildings allowed fast and relatively cheap housing, which solved real social problems. So a good answer should not mock Plattenbau as simply ugly. It had a social purpose.

> **Key Term: Plattenbau**
> A prefabricated apartment block, especially associated with mass housing in the DDR.

A balanced comparison might sound like this in German: _In der DDR stand die Versorgung der Bevölkerung mit Wohnraum oft im Vordergrund, während die BRD architektonisch vielfältiger, aber manchmal auch weniger einheitlich war._ That shows evaluation rather than stereotype.

After reunification, architecture became closely tied to **Erinnerungskultur**. Germany had to decide how to remember dictatorship, war and division in public space. The renovated **Reichstag**, reopened in **1999** with Norman designed by architect Norman created’s-designed’s glass dome, is an excellent example because it combines an older building with a modern democratic message. The dome suggests openness and transparency. Citizens can literally look down into the political space below. That symbolism matters.

The **Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe** in Berlin, opened in **2005**, is another key case. Its abstract form is significant. It does not tell visitors exactly what to think in a traditional didactic way. Instead, it creates disorientation and reflection. This lets you discuss an advanced contrast: abstract memorial architecture versus more direct, historical remembrance.

> **Key Term: Erinnerungskultur**
> The public culture of remembering difficult history through memorials, museums, debate and architecture.

Current debates are not only about the past. They are also about housing shortages, sustainability and cost. Germany completed fewer new dwellings in **2024** than in the previous year, which supports the point that architecture is a social issue, not only an aesthetic one. Future-focused answers can mention **Nachhaltigkeit**, energy-efficient building, and the idea of _Bestand statt Neubau_ — using and adapting existing buildings rather than always demolishing and replacing them.

> **Test Tip:** In Paper 3, the best answers use the pattern _Beispiel + historischer Kontext + Bedeutung heute_. For example: “Der Reichstag wurde nach der Wiedervereinigung neu gestaltet; die Glaskuppel symbolisiert heute Transparenz und Demokratie.”

## Key Point Checklist

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- Art and architecture in the German-speaking world should be studied as expressions of society, politics and identity
- Romanik is marked by thick walls and rounded arches, while Gotik is marked by height, pointed arches and light
- Barock architecture often projected wealth and authority, while Klassizismus stressed order and balance
- Jugendstil in Vienna linked beauty, decoration and the idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk
- Bauhaus, founded in **1919** by **Walter Gropius**, promoted functional and minimalist design
- Expressionismus is more subjective and emotional, while Neue Sachlichkeit is more sober and socially critical
- After **1945**, Germany faced choices between rebuilding the old cityscape and creating new modern urban forms
- Reconstruction is different from restoration and different again from building something entirely new
- DDR architecture is strongly linked to state planning, monumental socialist design and later Plattenbau housing
- BRD architecture was generally more plural and influenced by international modernism
- The Reichstag, Frauenkirche and Holocaust Memorial are major examples of Erinnerungskultur and political meaning in architecture
- Future debates include Denkmalschutz, housing pressure, sustainability and adaptive reuse

## Key Terms and Concepts

- Kunstfreiheit
- Romanik
- Gotik
- Jugendstil
- Bauhaus
- Wiederaufbau
- Rekonstruktion
- Plattenbau
- Erinnerungskultur


Artistic Culture - Art and architecture across time