Subject, Alexander

Civil engineer, architect

Born: 24.08.1815 in Eppstein

died: 11.03.1883 in Wiesbaden

After studying at the building academy in Karlsruhe, Fach entered the service of the city of Wiesbaden. From 1853-62, he was entrusted with the technical supervision of the construction of the Marktkirche, a work by architect Carl Boos, as "executive master builder". Boos had previously sent him to Berlin to study the technique of "fired clay bricks" on the Werdersche Kirche built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. In 1854-56, a monumental, castle-like villa was built on the banks of the Rhine in Biebrich according to Fach's plans. In 1863, Fach was appointed Wiesbaden's first master builder. During this time, he rendered great services to the expansion of the city beyond the historic pentagon designed by Christian Zais.

In 1871, he drew up a development plan for Wiesbaden, which for a long time provided guidelines for the urban development of the city. This included the Ringstraße along the Bismarckring, the Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring and vertically to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring - today the Gustav-Stresemann-Ring. Significant improvements to the infrastructure were brought about by the general water supply completed in 1870 and the rapid implementation of the city's sewerage system following the typhoid epidemic of 1885. Today's Oranienschule (1866-68) and the school on the Schulberg were built according to his designs. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71, he is said to have rendered outstanding services to the military and medical services.

Fach retired in 1873 and was buried in the North Cemetery.