Ottmar Obermaier

German Ottmar Obermaier studied sculpture at the München Academy. Initially, he was a representative of Art Nouveau and created figurines and busts, especially in biscuit-porcelain. He worked as a designer for the porcelain factory Rosenthal between 1923 and 1935, designing idealized human forms and also animal figures based on Greek and Roman classics for production. These figures, mostly displaying physical prowess and athletic pursuits, had titles such as Discus Thrower, Victor and Striding Woman. After 1935 he worked as a designer for the newly founded Allach porcelain manufactory, which was overtaken by the SS in 1936. In 1940, part of the production was relocated to the site of the SS training and education camp at the Dachau concentration camp. Forced laborers also worked in the factory. His porcelain sculptures idealized the Nazi ideal of Aryan bodies. He also produced several medal portraits for Nazi officers. Obermaier was represented in the Great German Art Exhibitions with 13 works, of which two were bought by Adolf Hitler.

The artist was co-founder of the athletics department of the TSV 1860 München. The bronze figure of Hanns Braun was created as early as 1920 and was awarded annually as “Hanns Braun Memorial Prize” by the South German Athletics Association from the following year. The prize was initially awarded until 1939 and was lost in the turmoil of World War II. After the war, the award was resumed and a new statue was designed. In 1952, Obermaier was represented in the Olympic art exhibition with the bronze Concentration”.