The story of the town of Hellerau in eastern Germany traces and records as a 'living document', some of the most important artistic, social, and political ideas and events of this century.

Founded in 1910 on the model of the English 'Garden City' as a carefully planned community whose citizens could live in social harmony, whilst enjoying an environment of well-designed houses, spacious public areas, and a variety of recreational and educational facilities; it was set in a beautiful natural landscape on the high meadows overlooking the city of Dresden. Its sponsors and patrons employed several of this century’s outstanding architects, to create a uniquely beautiful town, most of which remains intact and unspoilt today.

Hellerau, however, was motivated by more than purely utilitarian ideals; its founders were inspired too by a utopian vision of fostering human happiness and well-being in ways which foreshadowed aspects of the Green and Holistic movements of today. The centre-piece of the community was the imposing Dalcroze Institute of Eurhythmics, which was conceived and directed by the gifted teacher, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, with the counsel and encouragement of his fellow Swiss visionary, the theatre designer and theoretician, Adolphe Appia. The Institute provided for the citizens of Hellerau and students drawn from fourteen nations, a unique programme of training, experiments in music, movement, lighting, stage design and performance. The results of its investigations proved so profound and influential, that they have been said to mark the birth of the modern Theatre.

Based on the idea and example of ancient Greek dance - a union of body, emotions, and 'soul', through musically inspired movement - eurhythmics aimed at putting its participants in touch with themselves and their physical environment, and out of this integration to conceive a happier, more harmonious, and more sensitive awareness of life. 'Living Art' was the goal, and Appia used the concept to create his revolutionary lighting and scenic reforms, which in large part have provided the conceptual and practical basis for modern theatrical practice.

Appia helped plan an entirely new theatrical architecture for the Institute, designing a large open hall, 50 metres in length, 16 metres wide, and 12 metres high, enclosing performers and audience with no barrier or obstacle between them. Thus he abolished the proscenium arch and raised stage, using a completely open performance area for the first tine since the Renaissance. The hall, with a capacity of 600 was lit by thousands of lights, installed behind translucent linen, operated centrally to allow the walls and ceiling to radiate light which was orchestrated to express in space the emotional nuance of the music. This new system, which amazed contemporaries, complemented the physical embodiment of the music as expressed through the setting and the gestures and movements of Dalcroze's pupils.

In 1912 and 1913, the Institute gave public exhibitions of its work which attracted world-wide attention, and were attended by most of the leading theatre artists of the day, including Shaw, Stanislavsky, Reinhardt, etc. Diaghilev and Nijinsky were visitors, and contracted the 17 year old Dalcroze pupil, Marie Rambert, to assist in their pending production of the Rite of Spring. The climax of the festivals was the presentation of Gluck's opera, Orpheus and Eurydice which was so astonishing and revolutionary, that, as the American novelist Upton Sinclair recorded, "Men and women stood shouting their delight at the revelation of a new form of art". The later influence of the Hellerau experiments and its many pupils who went on to become major innovators in the world of theatre and dance, was far-reaching.

In 1914, the outbreak of war caused the Institute to close. Neither Appia nor Dalcroze ever returned. The building was taken over by the German government and after 1937 was used as a recreational facility by Hitler's SS. Following the bombing of Dresden, the luminous cloths that covered the walls and ceiling of the building, were torn down to make bandages. It then was turned over to Soviet authorities, who stationed a small military garrison around the former Institute building which was for many years strictly off-limits to the general public. Until 1992 it was occupied by Russian soldiers, and is badly dilapidated, although structurally intact. Symbolic of its extraordinary history, (merely sketched here) is the yin yang symbol (international sign of Dalcrozian eurhythmics), which had been replaced by a Red Star. There are now plans by the citizens of Hellerau working together with a distinguished group of international scholars, artists and architects to restore the Institute building and re-dedicate it once more as an international 'workshop' devoted to the study and promulgation of diverse forms of innovative art.

In February, 1994 after a long campaign, this organisation was given formal possession and responsibility for the site by the State of Saxony, and has now taken the first steps to conserve and restore the building, while planning a future worthy of the idealism and achievement which characterised its early history. In addition to substantial public and private benefaction, this campaign has now received major international endorsement and support through the award of a highly competitive and prestigious grant in the amount of $250,000 USD under the Architectural Conservation Program of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

The story of Hellerau is rich and suggestive; a veritable 'micro-narrative' of many of the crucial cultural and historical events of the 20^th century. Quite apart from its decisive legacy to theatre practice and design, it provides, in essence, an example of a very early and extraordinarily successful expression, a 'Holistic' concept of existence, which called for an integration of artistic, communal and personal elements, and which has re-emerged with renewed energy and urgency in our own day.

View of the theatre and Garden City

Garden city of Hellerau

By 1909 the factory and first homes had been built, with a population of 2000 projected for the summer of 1911, to rise ultimately to the maximum of 12,000. In the meantime, Dohrn, after attending a demonstration of eurhythmics by Dalcroze’s students, decided that an institute devoted to this new art form should be constructed at Hellerau, to support the type of social, spiritual and physical regeneration which were the ideals of the new Garden City. He offered to set up such an institute and construct it exactly according to the specifications of Dalcroze, who, in turn, was closely advised by Appia. In April 1911, the cornerstone of the new, unprecedented building was laid in the presence of invited dignitaries, the residents of Hellerau, and students from some fourteen nations.

The Garden City of Hellerau continues to flourish as a tranquil community on the northern outskirts of Dresden. Its homes and buildings are protected and conserved for their enduring architectural and artistic significance.

Photograph of residents of the Garden City

Subsequent history of the site

In 1990 an organisation was formally established to promote a 'European Workshop for Art and Culture' at Hellerau. It has amongst its goals the re-dedication of Hellerau to utopian ideas, with the desire to promote 'eurhythmics and aesthetic innovation as formerly the Dalcroze School did', and 'to restore to life the Festspielhaus at Hellerau and the ideas associated with it'. In 1994, after a long campaign, this organisation was given formal responsibility for the building, which has been recognised internationally as a site of major architectural importance. With the assistance of substantial grant support, from the J. Paul Getty Trust, much of the building has now been restored to its original condition. Extensive programmes of work in music, dance, theatre, and various multi-media are presented in the Institute building.