Noack, Werner

Date born:   1888

Place Born:  Geißen (?), Germany

Date died:  

Place died:  

Noack was raised in Geißen where he attended the local Gymnasium as a boy. He studied history and art history at various universities in Germany including Geißen, Munich, Berlin and Halle. His interest in sculpture, building and urban design led him to study under Adolf Goldschmidt (q.v.) at Halle, completing his dissertation in 1912. That year Goldschmidt left for Berlin and Noack followed him to assist teaching in the Art History Institute which Goldschmidt was expanding. Noack moved to Erfurt, Germany to become the assistant to Walter Kaesbach (q.v.) at the Städische (city) Museum there. Noack not only was engaged in evaluating (expertizing) old master work and city monuments, but contemporary art as well. He began the modern collection at Erfurt as well. Late in 1922, Noack left for Freiburg to become Conservator and eventually director of the Städische Sammlungen. He improved Augustiner Museum by expanding its space and developing a personal interest in museum studies. In 1929 he helped found the Deutscher Museumsbund (German Museum Federation). In 1942 he was named honorary professor at the University of Freiburg.

Noack's interest was in the medieval monuments (sculpture and buildings) of the upper Rhein region of Germany.

Home Country:  Germany

Sources: Schroth, Ingeborg. "Vorwort." Studien zur Kunst des Oberrheins: Festschrift für Werner Noack. Konstanz:  J. Thorbecke, 1959, p. 5.

Bibliography: [dissertation:] Die Kirchen von Gelnhausen: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Architektur und Skulptur des 13. Jahrhunderts im Main-Rheingebiet.  University of Halle, 1912; [bibliography:] "Bibliographie Werner Noack." Studien zur Kunst des Oberrheins: Festschrift für Werner Noack. Konstanz:  J. Thorbecke, 1959, p. 171-175; Der breisacher Altar.  Königstein i. Ts.: Langewiesche Nachfolger Hans Köster, 1950;  "Ein erstes heiliges Grab in Freiburg." Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte  23 no. 3-4 (1960): 246-52; "L'activite du Deutscher museums-bund." Mouseion  4 (1930): 157-8.