House of City History receives paintings from Stephan Wildhirt's estate

"Landscape" is the title of a painting by Oliver Raszewski from the estate of Stephan Wildhirt, which his widow donated to Offenbach's Haus der Stadtgeschichte on December 19. Wildhirt was Head of Building and Culture from 1994 to 1997 and Mayor of the city from 1997 to 2004, before becoming Director of the Rhine-Main Regional Association until 2010.

Wildhirt deliberately commissioned an Offenbach artist, who has since passed away, to create the 140 x 140 centimeter painting in ink on canvas. The painting is based on an aerial photograph of the region. "That was important to Stephan Wildhirt as a committed regional politician," says his long-time partner Ilona Hakert, who also had ties to Offenbach as the city's municipal women's representative from 1988 to 2004.

"With the donation of 'Landscape', we are not only able to add an exciting work of art by an Offenbach artist to the collection of the Haus der Stadtgeschichte," emphasizes Lord Mayor and current Head of Cultural Affairs Dr. Felix Schwenke. "I am also very pleased that the memory of Stephan Wildhirt is being kept alive to some extent. Whether as one of the fathers of the Kulturkarrees, as someone who was committed to promoting the upgrading of the banks of the Main to their current state or as a contributor to the creation of the Streichholz-Karlchen on Wilhelmsplatz: Stephan Wildhirt has left many positive traces in our city. As he was also a committed regional politician, the work of art is a good fit. I would like to thank Ilona Hakert for her willingness to donate it to us."

Jürgen Eichenauer, Director of the Haus für Stadtgeschichte, is also delighted with the donation: "The painting fits perfectly into the city's art collection, especially as in this case the artwork has a special provenance that can be linked to the former mayor Stephan Wildhirt." For copyright reasons, a photograph of the artwork cannot be published - but it can be viewed on request at the Haus der Stadtgeschichte.

Oliver Raszewski (1962-2022) was one of the best-known and most important artists and art protagonists in Offenbach during his lifetime. In 1997 he received the Culture Prize of the City of Offenbach am Main, and in 2006 the "First Art Prize" of Energieversorgung Offenbach (EVO).