The designer Karl Clauss Dietel gave many everyday things in the GDR their special form, but also left his mark on public spaces. Three years after his death, anyone interested can now go in search of traces of the great designer in Chemnitz with the help of an 80-page city guide. In 2014, he was awarded the Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany for his life's work.
Design that shapes everyday life - Dietel's signature in Chemnitz
The booklet invites you to explore Dietel's work in the city on two one-hour routes - from the interior design of the Metropol cinema and the Jewish restaurant "Schalom", to the water feature in the municipal swimming pool and memorial plaques for the poet Stefan Heym and the Bauhaus artist Marianne Brandt, to the trade fair towers and the spherical ensemble in the former "Fritz Heckert" development area.
Dietel was a visionary and had a lasting impact on the lives of many people with his design style, explains Lord Mayor Sven Schulze (SPD) in the foreword: "And in a way that has quietly but powerfully written itself into the everyday lives of many." His designs are carefully thought-out answers to the question of how design can refine life aesthetically and enrich it practically.
Design with a concept - the "open principle" and the "five Ls"
The trained machine fitter became a product designer in a roundabout way. He studied at the art academy in Berlin. He then gave many things in the GDR their look - from typewriters, mopeds and motorcycles to radios with omnidirectional loudspeakers.
The "open principle" is typical of his designs. The individual elements form clearly separated units. He summarized further guidelines of his design in the "five Ls": durable, light, lütt (small), life-friendly and quiet. He continued his work after reunification and designed a multifunctional telephone and electric bicycles, for example.
Where to buy the new city guide?
The free city guide was developed by the City of Chemnitz's cultural department, the art collections and a graphics agency. It will be officially presented on Tuesday (April 1) and contains 19 stations in words and pictures. The booklet will be available free of charge at various locations, such as the Capital of Culture 2025 visitor center, the tourist information office and the houses of the city's art collections.
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