Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler (Dresden 1899–1940 Pirna) is regarded as one of the most important artistic voices of the early 20th century. Her dynamic visual language, imbued with empathy, is unparalleled in the art of New Objectivity.

At the age of sixteen, she left her family home, and from 1918 onwards, she was active in Dresden’s avant-garde circles under the name "Nikolaus Wächtler." Her friends included painters Otto Dix, Conrad Felixmüller, and Otto Griebel, poet Rudolf Adrian Dietrich, and Dadaist Johannes Baader. From 1925 to 1931, Lohse-Wächtler experienced a period of personal hardship but intense artistic productivity in Hamburg.

Dire living conditions and a failed marriage led to psychological problems, which resulted in her first hospitalization in 1929. In spite of her mental fragility, the artist produced powerful works. With confidence, she broke into male-dominated worlds and restricted areas, painting in the harbor and in St. Pauli. She quickly produced a series of atmospheric brothel and tavern scenes, unconventional portraits of unique characters, and striking self-portraits.

Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler's story of self-empowerment ended in compulsory hospitalization and state-sanctioned obliteration: in 1940, she was murdered under the Nazi regime’s euthanasia program (known as "Aktion T4").

This book is published on the occasion of the exhibition Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler "Ich als Irrwisch." Homage for the 125th Birthday. The Ernst Barlach Haus is dedicating a comprehensive retrospective to this exceptional artist, featuring nearly 100 works from 25 public and private collections. This marks her first solo exhibition in Hamburg since 1999, in celebration of her 125th birthday on December 4, 2024.