Kutsch, Ferdinand

Historian, museum director

Born: 01.01.1889 in Burg-Gmünden (Upper Hesse)

died: 30.04.1972 in Wiesbaden

Kutsch studied classical archaeology, philology, German studies and prehistory in Tübingen, Munich, Berlin and Giessen. He completed his education with the state examination and obtained his doctorate in Giessen in 1912. An assistantship at the Roman-Germanic Commission in Frankfurt am Main was followed by military service before Kutsch went to Rome on a scholarship in 1914.

After serving in the war from 1914-18 and a further two years at the Roman-Germanic Commission, Kutsch was employed from 1919 at the Nassau State Museum in Wiesbaden, which he headed from 1927-56. He rendered great services after the end of the Second World War, when he not only protected the museum from occupation, but also immediately resumed operations as regularly as possible. From 1927, he was the representative for cultural-historical antiquities in the administrative district of Wiesbaden. In this function, Kutsch initiated the founding of the State Office for Cultural-Historical Soil Antiquities in 1938, which he headed as honorary director until 1956.

In addition to medieval art history, he was particularly interested in prehistoric circular ramparts such as the Mahlberg near Otzenhausen; nevertheless, he also produced important works on the late Roman bridgehead of Mainz, for example. The presentation of the pre- and early history of Wiesbaden and the fundamental research into the architectural history of the Mauritius Church are also inextricably linked with his name. At the same time, he expanded the collection of Nassau antiquities through acquisitions.

From 1932, Kutsch was chairman of the Association for Nassau Antiquities and Historical Research and was appointed honorary chairman when he retired in 1963. He also headed the South and West German Association for Antiquities Research for more than 30 years, which made him honorary chairman in 1962.