Rudolf Kern

Rudolf Kern was an architect and builder in Bydgoszcz during the city’s late Prussian period . Most of his works were realized between 1903 and 1914. His artistic style is characterized by Art Nouveau and Modernism.

Rudolf Richard Hermann Kern
Born	June 14, 1871 Thorn German Empire
Died	February 2, 1952 Federal Republic of Germany Bremen
Nationality	Prussia, Germany,
Occupation	architect
Spouse(s)	Franziska Johanna Kern, born Preiss in Dünaburg (Russian Empire) on October 24, 1878
Children	Werner Kern, Günther-Heinz Kern

Life

Rudolf Kern is believed to have trained in the studio of Józef Święcicki. From 1903 to the beginning of the 1920s, he ran his own architectural and construction office. At that time, like many architects from Bydgoszcz, he was involved in designing and constructing tenement houses that were later sold to real estate brokers. This process was particularly noticeable in the erection of edifices along Cieszkowskiego Street.^[1]

He lived in Bydgoszcz until 1922, in his own house at the corner of Gdańska Street and Adam Mickiewicz Alley^[2]

Style

Rudolf Kern's style is characterized by Art Nouveau features and details.

In 1912, one of his projects was awarded most beautiful new building of the year (together with Fritz Weidner's house at Kołłątaja street 1) in a competition organized by city authorities: it stands at 24, 20 January 1920 Street.^[3]

Works in Bydgoszcz

Main preserved buildings by Rudolf Kern in Bydgoszcz

Year	Edifice	Remarks	Picture
1900	House at 4 August Cieszkowski Street	The project was based on a Józef Święcicki's blueprint. The building underwent a thorough renovation in 2017-2018.
1902–1903	House at 10 August Cieszkowski Street	The plot where stands the house belonged to Józef Święcicki: he sold it in 1902, to his colleague Rudolf Kern.
1903–1904	Tenement at 22 Chodkiewicza Street	Located at the corner of Chodkiewicza and Paderewskiego streets. Among first realizations in Bydgoszcz for Julius Berger, a merchant[4]
1903–1904	2 20 Stycznia 1920 Street	Among first realizations in Bydgoszcz for Julius Berger, a merchant.[4]
1903–1904	Rudolf Kern Building	Located at 1 Adam Mickiewicz Alley. Built for Kern's own use.[4]
1903–1904	Villa at 15 Adam Mickiewicz Alley	Built for Julius Berger, a merchant.[4]
1904	Hübschmann House	The villa is located at 4 Paderewskiego. Alfred Hübschmann was a merchant in clothing business.
1904	Heinrich Kirsch tenement	The building is located at 86 Dworcowa Street. The main elevation has suffered from successional renovations that obliterated many architectural details.
1904–1905	Villa at 13 Adam Mickiewicz Alley3	Built for Julius Berger, a merchant.[4]
1904–1905	Tenement at 7 Adam Mickiewicz Alley	Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list, No.601379, Reg.A/1082 (January 10, 1995)[5]
1905–1906	Tenement at 1 Józef Weyssenhoff Square	Built for Julius Berger, a merchant.[4]
1904–1905	House at 9 Adam Mickiewicz Alley	Built for Arnold Schattschneider, first head of the Music School of Bydgoszcz (German: Bromberger Konservatorium der Musik).[6]
1904–1905	Eduard Schulz Tenement	It stands at 66/68 Gdańska Street. Eduard Schulz was a local restaurateur.
1906–1907	Tenement at 5 Adam Mickiewicz Alley	Built for Adolf Berger, a merchant.[4]
1906–1907	Tenement at 14 Chodkiewicza street	Located at the corner with 20 Stycznia 1920 street. Built for Friedrich Fiedler, a merchant.[4]
1906–1907	Tenement at 24 Gdańska Street	Commissioned by merchant Julius Berger, it has been heavily ravaged by a fire in 1945.

Main preserved buildings by Rudolf Kern in Bydgoszcz

Year	Edifice	Remarks	Picture
1906–1908	71 Gdańska Street	The tenement has been the seat, since 1938-1939, of the Municipal Conservatoire.[7]
1908–1909	Tenement at 27 20 Stycznia 1920 street	Built for Dittmann, a merchant.[4]
1909	August Mentzel Tenement	Located at 5 Gdańska Street, it has been rebuilt by R. Kern.
1909	Julius Grey house	Located at 35 Gdańska Street, it has been renovated by R. Kern.
1909–1910	Tenement at 2A Chodkiewicza street	Villa at the corner with 20 Stycznia 1920 street. Built for Guenthar, a teachermerchant,[4] the house has been recently refurbished.
1910	Tenement at 16 20 Stycznia 1920 street	The building was the property of Rudolf Kern himself.[4]
1910	Villa at 29 20 Stycznia 1920 street	The building was commissioned by Alexander Schmidt, a factory manager.[4]
1910–1911	Tenement at 67 Gdanska street	First landlord was Carl Ernst, a butcher.
1910–1911	Tenement at 11 Zamoyskiego street	The building was commissioned by Hermann Draheim, a rentier.[4]
1910–1911	Tenement at 13 Zamoyskiego street	The building was commissioned by Hermann Pflaum.[4]
1911	Building at 24 20 Stycznia 1920 street	The building was erected for Emil Zemisch, a building contractor.[4]
1911–1912	Tenement at 18 20 Stycznia 1920 street	The building was erected for Mr Weiss, a master bricklayer.[4]
1911–1912	Tenement at 13 Paderewskiego	Commissioner was Emil Heydemann, a master bricklayer.[4]
1913	Savoy Building	Located at 2 Jagiellońska street, corner with Theatre square
1913–1915	Tenement at 23 Paderewskiego	Both facades combine eclectic-neo-classical style and Art Nouveau features.
1914	Villa at 6 Wyspiańskiego street
1914–1916	House at 5/7 Kopernika Street	Built for the Secretary of the Bydgoszcz Regency, Ernest Werner.

See also

• Bydgoszcz
• Bydgoszcz Architects (1850-1970s)
• List of Polish people