Walter Curt Behrendt papers, 1910-1945

Summary Information

Abstract

Walter Curt Behrendt (1884-1945) was a German-American architect and an active advocate of German modernism. The collection is composed primarily of lectures and writings.

At a Glance

Bib ID:
8507461 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
Behrendt, Walter Curt, 1884-1945
Repository:
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Physical Description:
3 manuscript boxes
Language(s):
English .
Access:

This collection is available for use by appointment in the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. For further information and to make an appointment, please email avery-drawings@library.columbia.edu.

Description

Scope and Content

The Walter Curt Behrendt papers are composed primarily of lectures and writings.

Series I: Faculty Papers contains papers related to Behrendt's career at Dartmouth College, including attendance cards, a grade book, examinations and a proposal for a class on building types from the Middle Ages to the present. The series also includes drafts of a letter explaining how Behrendt believes architects should be educated.

Series II: Lectures contains scripts, notes and slide lists of lectures Behrendt gave at Dartmouth College, Princeton University, Wheaton College and talks he gave in Germany. Most of the lectures are annotated. The majority of the lectures deal with the development of cities, city planning, regional planning, modern architecture, housing, transportation and zoning. The lectures cover the history of architecture from antiquity through the 1940s, including Greek, Rome, the Arts and Crafts Movement, the Art Nouveau Movement, and the International Style.

Series III: Personal Papers contains two letters from the contractor W.H. Trumbull regarding the construction of Behrendt's house. It also contains a letter from J. F. Schoellkopf, Jr. regarding the National Recreation Association. The series also contains biographical information, which lists Walter Curt Behrendt's education, civil service work in Prussia and Germany, and his career after he emigrated to the US in 1934.

Series IV: Writings contains annotated manuscripts by Behrendt covering city planning, modern architecture and housing. There are essays on organic forms, Frank Lloyd Wright, Japanese houses, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the New Spirit of Building and the Origin of the Spirit of Modern Architecture. Subseries 2: Articles primarily contains articles on urban reconstruction and German architecture and architects such as, Alfred Messels, Hans Grisebach, and Hans Poelzig. Subseries 3: Book Reviews contains reviews written by Behrendt. Behrendt reviewed books by Lewis Mumford, Herman Kobbe and Henry-Russell Hitchcock.

  • Series I: Faculty Papers

    contains papers related to Behrendt's career at Dartmouth College, including attendance cards, a grade book, examinations and a proposal for a class on building types from the Middle Ages to the present. The series also includes drafts of a letter explaining how Behrendt believes architects should be educated.

  • Series II: Lectures

    contains scripts, notes and slide lists of lectures Behrendt gave at Dartmouth College, Princeton University, Wheaton College and talks he gave in Germany. Most of the lectures are annotated. The majority of the lectures deal with the development of cities, city planning, regional planning, modern architecture, housing, transportation and zoning. The lectures cover the history of architecture from

  • Series III: Personal Papers

    contains two letters from the contractor W.H. Trumbull regarding the construction of Behrendt's house. It also contains a letter from J. F. Schoellkopf, Jr. regarding the National Recreation Association. The series also contains biographical information, which lists Walter Curt Behrendt's education, civil service work in Prussia and Germany, and his career after he emigrated to the US in 1934.

  • Series IV: Writings

    contains annotated manuscripts by Behrendt covering city planning, modern architecture and housing.

Publication Date

1910-1945

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in five series: Biographical Information, Faculty Papers, Lectures, Personal Papers, and Writings.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access

This collection is available for use by appointment in the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. For further information and to make an appointment, please email avery-drawings@library.columbia.edu.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Permission to publish must be obtained in writing from the Director, Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, 1172 Amsterdam Ave., MC 0301, New York, NY 10027.

Preferred Citation

Walter Curt Behrendt papers, 1910-1945. Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession number--1969.006.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library

Processing Information

Processed; Kerri Pfister 2011.

Revision Description

2011-03-02 File created.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Biographical / Historical

Walter Curt Behrendt was born December 16, 1884 in Metz, Alsace and died in April 26, 1945 in Norwich, Vermont. From 1912-1933, Behrendt worked in Civil Service in Germany shaping public housing policy, the principles of lay-out and development. Behrendt emigrated to the United States in 1934 and became a Visiting Lecturer in Housing and City Planning at Dartmouth College, 1934-1937. In 1937-1941, Behrendt was a Professor of City Planning and Housing at the University at Buffalo, SUNY and returned to Dartmouth in 1941.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Name
Behrendt, Walter Curt, 1884-1945 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Grisebach, Hans, 1848-1904 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Haussmann, Georges Eugène, baron, 1809-1891 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Hitchcock, Henry-Russell, 1903-1987 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Kobbe, Herman CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Messel, Alfred, 1853-1909 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig, 1886-1969 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Mumford, Lewis, 1895-1990 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Poelzig, Hans, 1869-1936 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Wren, Christopher, Sir, 1632-1723 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Subject
Architecture -- England CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Architecture -- France CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Architecture -- Germany CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Architecture -- United States CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Architecture, Modern CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Arts and crafts movement CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
City planning CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Community development, Urban CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Housing -- England CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Housing -- United States CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
International style (Architecture) CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Modern movement (Architecture) CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Suburbs CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Urban transportation CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Zoning CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID