Wrestlers

History of the work

On the courtyard wall of the Munzinger school, below the school garden house, stands a fountain with a stone relief. It shows wrestlers and was made by Max Fueter in 1923. According to Wikidata and Commons the fountain itself is older and was built in 1918 together with the school; Wikidata gives stone and brass as materials.

The school has an eventful history. In 1917 the society of independent architects of Bern held a competition on its own initiative and exhibited the designs that the city executive had passed over. The boys' secondary school was nevertheless built in 1917/18 to plans by the city architect Arnold Blaser, in a strict regional heritage style with classicist elements. The building inventory lists important art for the building: frescoes by Ed. Boss, stained-glass windows by Leo Steck, a mural by Victor Surbek in the singing hall and sculptures by Karl Hänny. The building was completely renovated from 2011 to 2013.

Fueter was 25 when he made the relief. Born on 6 March 1898, in Konolfingen according to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland or in Bern according to SIKART, he had modelled at the trade school together with Karl Geiser and studied figure drawing with Ernst Linck and Surbek. In 1922 he took over Geiser's workshop on Wagnerstrasse, and in 1919 and 1923 he received federal grants. From 1926 to 1929 he worked in Berlin, then in Rome.

The human figure remained Fueter's theme until his death in 1983, for example in the 'Diskuswerfer' (Discus Thrower) at the Marzili baths and the 'Flötenspieler' (Flute Player) on Rathausgasse. At the Munzinger school he worked on a building for which his teacher Surbek also worked. Entering the courtyard, you will find the relief on the wall below the garden house.

Researched and summarised by Bärn Kit. Sources: Kultur Stadt Bern, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum (offene Daten) · Bauinventar der Stadt Bern: Munzingerstrasse 11, 11A · SIKART: Max Fueter · Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz: Max Fueter · Wikipedia (de): Max Fueter · Wikidata: Hofbrunnen Munzingerschulhaus / Ringer · Wikimedia Commons: Hofbrunnen Munzingerschulhaus