Joachim Karsch

Joachim Karsch was a sculptor and graphic artist, who was associated with Post-Expressionism. He grew up as an orphan and studied at the School of Applied Arts in Breslau (now Wrocław) from 1911-14, then in Berlin. Because of a disability, he was invalided out as unfit before World War I.

Karsch worked in a factory for two years and destroyed most of his previous work in 1924. After that, he found his own style mainly as a sculptor, and went to Rome with a scholarship. He won the bronze medal with his drawing Stabwechsel (Baton exchange) at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics in the category of Paintings, Graphic Works.

After 1937 several of his works were removed from museums and galleries and his financial situation became precarious. It was not until 1942 that Karsch received a lucrative commission from the city of Gdynia (in German Gdingen/Gotenhafen). One year later his Berlin studio was completely destroyed by a bomb attack. After the Russian Army occupied his residence Groß Gandern in February 1945, destroying his works, he and his wife, Liesbeth, committed joint suicide to avoid deportation.