How women painters fared under Hitler

The fact that Blaue Reiter artists like Gabriele Münter and Marianne von Werefkin are widely recognized today, while artists such as Anita Rée and Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler remain largely forgotten, shows how the Nazis’ “degenerate art” purges — together with the survival of certain styles, group ties, and archives — continue to shape who is remembered in art history. For artists like Rée and Lohse-Wächtler, early deaths resulting from persecution and isolation under the regime have further hindered the preservation of their legacies.

Anita Rée ( 1885 – 1933) was a German avant-garde painter who, in 1926,  founded an association of women artists. The Nazis later labeled her work as “Degenerate Art” and purged it from museum collections. Subjected to increasing hostility, she committed suicide. Remarkably, a groundskeeper at the Kunsthalle Hamburg preserved many of her paintings by secretly hiding them in his apartment.

Jeanne Mammen (1890 – 1976) was associated with the movements of New Objectivity and Symbolism. One of her important works is a series of lithographs illustrating a collection of lesbian love poems by Pierre Louÿs. Until the Nazis denounced her motifs as “Jewish”, she supported herself as a commercial artist, creating illustrations and caricatures for journals. She survived the Hitler regime by practicing what she called “inner emigration”.

Elfriede Lohse Wächtler (1899- 1940) was noted for her paintings of psychiatric patients, as shown here. Many of these works were confiscated and destroyed by the Nazis. In addition to unflinching self-portraits, she also depicted scenes from the Hamburg harbor, capturing its workers and prostitutes. After undergoing a forced surgical sterilization in 1935, she stopped painting and was murdered in 1940 under the Nazi “euthanasia” program.

Gabriele Münter (1877- 1962) was an avant-garde painter and co-founder of Der Blaue Reiter (the Blue Rider). Kandinski, another co-founder of this art movement, was influenced by her use of saturated colors and her early abstract style. During the Nazi era, she hid  her own artwork – along with those of other Blaue Reiter members -in her home. Despite several searches, the works were never discovered. In 1957, she donated all of this remarkable collection to the City of Munich (München), Germany.

Marianne von Werefkin (1860 – 1938), another co-founder of the Blaue Reiter, escaped persecution by emigrating to Switzerland where she continued to paint. In  addition to powerful self-portraits, she created many colorful, landscapes in an Expressionist style.

Currently, Gabriele Münter and Marianne von Werefkin are receiving the most attention — they have dedicated foundations or collections, frequent exhibitions, and appear in major museums internationally.

Regionally but increasingly recognized: Anita Rée and Jeanne Mammen, with strong support in German institutions.

Most overlooked but gaining attention: Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler, remembered through advocacy groups and exhibitions about Nazi “euthanasia” victims.

Summary of Recognition and Preservation

Anita Rée (1885–1933)

• Kunsthalle Hamburg (Hamburg, Germany): This museum has preserved the largest collection of her works. It has staged multiple retrospectives, including a major one in 2017–2018 titled “Anita Rée — Retrospective.”

• Recent scholarly interest: There is renewed interest in her role as a modernist and a woman artist persecuted as “degenerate.” Several German-language monographs exist, and she is increasingly included in exhibitions on women of the Weimar avant-garde.

Jeanne Mammen (1890–1976)

• Berlinische Galerie (Berlin, Germany): The Berlinische Galerie holds the largest collection of her works and hosted a landmark retrospective in 2017–2018, “Jeanne Mammen. Art Between the Lines.”

• Permanent displays: Her urban street scenes and illustrations appear regularly in exhibitions about Berlin’s 1920s bohemian life.

Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler (1899–1940)

• Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler Förderkreis: A dedicated society works to keep her legacy alive, advocating for exhibitions and research.

• Städtische Galerie Dresden & Hamburger Kunsthalle: Her works are included in collections that focus on artists persecuted by the Nazis.

• Recent exhibitions: Smaller retrospectives have been mounted in Dresden and Hamburg; interest is slowly growing due to the tragic “euthanasia” history.

Gabriele Münter (1877–1962)

• Lenbachhaus (Munich, Germany): The Lenbachhaus holds one of the largest collections of her work — thanks to her donation in 1957. It is the main center for Der Blaue Reiter.

• Major international exhibitions: Her work is regularly featured in shows about Expressionism and early abstraction worldwide — including at MoMA, Tate Modern, and Centre Pompidou.

Marianne von Werefkin (1860–1938)

• Fondazione Marianne Werefkin (Ascona, Switzerland): An entire foundation in Ascona preserves her work and research materials.

• Lenbachhaus (Munich) and other European museums: She is frequently included in exhibitions about Der Blaue Reiter and women Expressionists.

• Recent retrospectives: She has had major retrospectives at the Kunstmuseum Bern and elsewhere, recognizing her contributions as an intellectual force behind the group.