Paintings by German POW in Scotland

[biffrocks]

Hi All

Just thought I'd post pictures of 2 paintings I have painted by a German POW in Scotland in November 1917, my german isn't very good and I have tried in vain to try to research about the artist. If anyone can help I would be very grateful. I hope everyone enjoys sweeing these paintings

Rob

Painting 1

">

">

">

">

[biffrocks]

Painting 2

">

">

[Derek Robertson]

The bottom line seems to say Loch Doon.

The Loch Doon Aerial Gunnery School was a project that wasted over £3 million (over £100m in today's money) in trying to establish an aerial gunnery school, with rail-mounted targets zig-zagging down steep hillsides to simulate enemy aircraft in flight. The project included the construction of an airfield, a dam, a hydro-electric scheme, a light railway and several camp sites to accommodate 1500 civilian contractors from Messrs McAlpine, 1200 German POWs and some 500 troops, together with sewage and water systems and also included a cinema to seat an audience of 400. The work commenced in September 1916 and was abandoned in January 1918, when the Whitehall authorities finally realised, as they had been advised by the locals all along, that adverse weather conditions made flying impossible for much of the time and the wet marshy ground was unsuitable for use as an airfield.

The more things change in Whitehall, the less they change

[hillgorilla]

There is still quite a bit to see of the old school at Loch Doon, on the eastern side of the Loch. The hills in the backgorund of the pictures would also fit in with the Rhinns of Kells.

[biffrocks]

The bottom line seems to say Loch Doon.

The Loch Doon Aerial Gunnery School was a project that wasted over £3 million (over £100m in today's money) in trying to establish an aerial gunnery school, with rail-mounted targets zig-zagging down steep hillsides to simulate enemy aircraft in flight. The project included the construction of an airfield, a dam, a hydro-electric scheme, a light railway and several camp sites to accommodate 1500 civilian contractors from Messrs McAlpine, 1200 German POWs and some 500 troops, together with sewage and water systems and also included a cinema to seat an audience of 400. The work commenced in September 1916 and was abandoned in January 1918, when the Whitehall authorities finally realised, as they had been advised by the locals all along, that adverse weather conditions made flying impossible for much of the time and the wet marshy ground was unsuitable for use as an airfield.

The more things change in Whitehall, the less they change

Hi

Thanks so much for the information, very much appreciated. I would love found out who the artist was as although in my opinion an amateur, I think still highly skilled.

Rob

[Fogarrach]

Just a thought, is this name in 4 parts?

G?. V?. S?. Ullrich?

[truthergw]

Possibly gestrichen von .... Painted by .

[Fogarrach]

Ah yes,

and the third character is similar to the L. in Loch Doon.

Painted by L. Ullrich?

[apwright]

It's clearly gez[eichnet] v[on] L. Ullrich, but who was he?!

Adrian

[grantowi]

Isn't the 2nd painting dated Nov 1914 ?

That would be nearly 2 years before work on the school started

Can any one get the title?

Die ?? Luft - the ?? air?

Ment to say, nice paintings

Grant

[hillgorilla]

Looks like a 7 to me, it is the way that he does the downstroke of the 7, with the line across. I wonder if there are still records from the camp at the NA?

[Guest]

Painting 2

">

">

[Guest]

Hello, Rob,

 

           I was fascinated with your really evocative paintings, as I am interested in the Loch Doon project, and have visited the site. As someone else says, there's quite a lot that remains, in the form of chunks of reinforced concrete - especially, the concrete aprons on which two hangars were erected on the west side of the loch, and the concrete sleepers on which a target-towing railway was going to run, parlt of it actually in the water, on the other side of the loch.

 

        I can't help with the artist, unfortunately. Only thing I can add is that the caption for the picture of the sitting PoWs seems to be 'plenty time', which suggests that they weren't exactly being slave-driven.

 

                  Any idea of the history of the paintings ?

 

                  Thanks,

                                    Peter

 

[TEW]

There seems to be an Ullrich family based in Kilmarnock (not far from Loch Doon). Karl Ullrich was born there 14/2/1889 to John & Jessie who married there in 1864. Originally from 'New Bavaria'.

 

Could it be painted for L Ullrich rather than by.

 

Rootschat

 

TEW

 

 

[moggies13]

I’m years late to this conversation, but I too am trying to find out about this artist. 

I’ve never seen any of the pictures and they don’t seem to be showing on the forum now. Can anyone find them? 

But here’s a transcription of one newspaper article from the Montrose Standard in August 1935 and a screenshot of another (hopefully clear enough to read). They make interesting reading!  

"In the establishment of Mr William Black, formerly one of the best known taxi drivers of the town, but who now runs a tobacco and confectionery shop in Western Road - between the Mart and the LNER station - there is at present to be seen a small exhibition of pictures of considerable interest. His war experience led Mr Black at one time to be a sergeant in a prisoners camp at Loch Doon, and it is there that he acquired them. They are arresting most probable on account of their great simplicity. Possibly the best one is that of a young German sitting on a wheelbarrow and obviously with his mind far away. The translation of the title is “Thinking of Home” and one can almost the feelings of the unwilling exile. Then another painting is of three Germans discussing matters after finishing their mid-day meal. They are very well drawn even to where their breeches have been patched, and the third of the series shows the scurry to resume work when a British staff officer appears in the distance. Ulrich is the name of the artist, and it is stated that since his internment at Loch Doon he has come into prominence in Germany, one visitor informing Mr Black that he had actually been commissioned to paint the portrait of Hitler. It is a far cry from Loch Doon to the Lindenstrasse, but stranger things have happened, and if this information is correct Mr Black is to be further congratulated on his collection." 

[FROGSMILE]

25 minutes ago, moggies13 said:

I’m years late to this conversation, but I too am trying to find out about this artist. 

I’ve never seen any of the pictures and they don’t seem to be showing on the forum now. Can anyone find them? 

But here’s a transcription of one newspaper article from the Montrose Standard in August 1935 and a screenshot of another (hopefully clear enough to read). They make interesting reading!  

"In the establishment of Mr William Black, formerly one of the best known taxi drivers of the town, but who now runs a tobacco and confectionery shop in Western Road - between the Mart and the LNER station - there is at present to be seen a small exhibition of pictures of considerable interest. His war experience led Mr Black at one time to be a sergeant in a prisoners camp at Loch Doon, and it is there that he acquired them. They are arresting most probable on account of their great simplicity. Possibly the best one is that of a young German sitting on a wheelbarrow and obviously with his mind far away. The translation of the title is “Thinking of Home” and one can almost the feelings of the unwilling exile. Then another painting is of three Germans discussing matters after finishing their mid-day meal. They are very well drawn even to where their breeches have been patched, and the third of the series shows the scurry to resume work when a British staff officer appears in the distance. Ulrich is the name of the artist, and it is stated that since his internment at Loch Doon he has come into prominence in Germany, one visitor informing Mr Black that he had actually been commissioned to paint the portrait of Hitler. It is a far cry from Loch Doon to the Lindenstrasse, but stranger things have happened, and if this information is correct Mr Black is to be further congratulated on his collection." 

You could try sending biffrocks a PM to see if he still has the pictures.  He hasn’t visited the forum since 2012, but he might still be around.

[moggies13]

Thanks Frogsmile,

I'm not all that familiar with the forum, but I'll try that. 

 

 

[FROGSMILE]

10 minutes ago, moggies13 said:

Thanks Frogsmile,

I'm not all that familiar with the forum, but I'll try that. 

 

 

Just go to his profile, click on the envelope icon within it and you can send him a message that will arrive as an email.

Unfortunately the original pictures disappeared as a result of a software update for the forum.

Edited 19 July , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[moggies13]

Got it! Thanks!!

[AOK4]

I would be most interested to see the paintings as well. Perhaps I can add still something about the painter?

Jan

[moggies13]

1 minute ago, AOK4 said:

I would be most interested to see the paintings as well. Perhaps I can add still something about the painter?

Jan

I'd be delighted to hear what you know!

 

[SusanN]

I would love to see these paintings too, it’s a shame they can no longer be viewed on the post….

[FROGSMILE]

27 minutes ago, SusanN said:

I would love to see these paintings too, it’s a shame they can no longer be viewed on the post….

I do recall them, they were very good Susan.  I’m hoping that biffrocks might still be around and able to post them again.  Sadly a lot of excellent images were lost during earlier software upgrades, many of them posted for the first time from family albums and so irreplaceable. It was unfortunate.