The exhibition aims to show the eventful development of Gdańsk's town houses from the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century.
The extensive restoration and reconstruction of the historic old town allows today's visitors to Gdańsk to forget for a moment the devastating consequences of World War II for the old trading and Hanseatic city. However, the newly built houses with their beautiful facades show only a small moment in the centuries-long development of these buildings. The numerous alterations and extensions to the interiors and facades of the houses, caused by the changing functions of the individual rooms and the tastes of the respective eras, remain hidden from the modern observer.
Elevation of the facade of the town house at Langgasse 45 in Gdańsk, before 1914; image archive, inv. no. 146812. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Rysunek elewacji kamienicy przy ulicy Langgasse 45 w Gdańsku, przed 1914 r.; archiwum zdjęć, nr inw. 146801. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Left side of the gable of the town house at Langgasse 45 in Gdańsk, before 1914; image archive, inventory no. 5g101. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Previously largely unknown photos and architectural drawings are used to illustrate and explain the most important stages in the development of the town house in Gdańsk, with selected individual topics, such as the door frames and the so-called “Gdańsk hallway,” explored in greater depth.
Belt arch in the hallway of the town house at Brotbänkengasse 11 in Gdańsk, before 1914; image archive, inv. no. 5g41. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Stairwell wall in the hallway of the town house at Langgasse 35 in Gdańsk, 1908; Picture archive, Inv. No. 5g40. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Much of the material on display is based on the unpublished dissertation of architect Otto Rollenhagen (1886-1951), which is kept at the Herder Institute. The work on the Danzig town houses, written between 1910 and 1914, has been catalogued and evaluated in a German-Polish cooperation project, because despite its age, it is still relevant today and represents a valuable source of information on the former architecture of Danzig. In June 2008, Otto Rollenhagen's study was presented in a bilingual publication together with all the visual materials.
Cover of the volume Otto Rollenhagen, Investigation and Description of the Town Houses of Danzig (...), Marburg: Herder-Inst. [et al.], 2008. Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
Elevation of the facade of the town house at Langgasse 45 in Gdańsk, before 1914; image archive, inv. no. 146812. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Rysunek elewacji kamienicy przy ulicy Langgasse 45 w Gdańsku, przed 1914 r.; archiwum zdjęć, nr inw. 146801. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Left side of the gable of the town house at Langgasse 45 in Gdańsk, before 1914; image archive, inventory no. 5g101. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Belt arch in the hallway of the town house at Brotbänkengasse 11 in Gdańsk, before 1914; image archive, inv. no. 5g41. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Stairwell wall in the hallway of the town house at Langgasse 35 in Gdańsk, 1908; Picture archive, Inv. No. 5g40. Sammlung Otto Rollenhagen / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
![Cover des Bandes Otto Rollenhagen, Untersuchung und Beschreibung der Danziger Bürgerhäuser (...), Marburg : Herder-Inst. [u.a.], 2008](/sites/default/files/externals/59dc0a75d17e0ef16f3d2433ea5426af.jpg)
Cover of the volume Otto Rollenhagen, Investigation and Description of the Town Houses of Danzig (...), Marburg: Herder-Inst. [et al.], 2008. Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
$de=Titelbild des Flyers zur Ausstellung Danziger Bürgerhäuser $de=Cover image of the flyer for the exhibition on Gdańsk town houses. Dom Uphagena, Oddział Muzeum Historycznego Miasta Gdańska, Free access - no reuse
