ELFRIEDE LOHSE-WACHTLER

1899-1940

Born the 4th December in Dresden-Lobtau, Germany.

She left home at the age of sixteen because his father didn't accepted she could be an artist.

Attended the Academy of Art in Dresden and the way to live was by making batick articles.

She became a bohemian before her marriage. But, soon that frustated marriage gave her emotional depression and lots of problems.

Suffering emotional and financial conditions the breakdown attacked her. She had to stay in a mental health clinic during a certain time. There, she painted portraits of other patients.

Elfried was a great artist creating great works but living isolated and poor.

Without any help, she could not recover and was labeled schizophrenic.

She died victim of Aktion T4, Hitler's program of mass annihilation of mentally and physically handicapped people.

"Paar in der kneipe"

"Lovers", 1930

"Vergnugen von St Pauli", Hamburg

"A female patient"

"The Act of Love", 1925-30

"Female Street Vendor", 1931, portrait study, possibly a self portrait

Self portrait

 "Ueber den Leib", 1930

Self portrait, 1931

"Drei kartoffelweiber"

"Tod und sünderin"

Self-portrait in red, 1931