George Kenner
Encyclopedia
George Kenner was a German
artist
. He made 110 paintings and drawings during the First World War while interned as a German civilian
prisoner of war
in Great Britain
and the Isle of Man
.
, near the Alps
in the Weilheim-Schongau
district of Bavaria
, Germany
. He went to art school in Germany. He moved to London
in 1910. He worked at and co-owned the small "process artist" company Waddington & Kennerknecht at 73 Farringdon Street
with a British partner. He also attended night school at London's Lambeth School of Art
to study airbrush
techniques. He was registered as an "alien enemy
" on August 23, 1914, then abruptly interned five days after the RMS Lusitania
was sunk by a German U-boat
on May 7, 1915.
Being a trained commercial artist by profession, and wanting to stay in practice with his work, he negotiated with the PoW camp authorities to be allowed to create what became the most extensive collection of WWI internment
scenes known.
, in Surrey
. The camp grew to hold 2,000 civilian prisoners, but was considered unsuitable for the approaching winter. On September 29, 1915 Kenner was sent to Alexandra Palace
in North London
. 3,000 internees were held in three sections. Conditions were better here. In June 1916, Kenner was sent to the Knockaloe internment camp on the Isle of Man
in the Irish Sea
. This camp held 30,000 civilian prisoners for the remainder of the war and beyond. He was finally sent back to Germany in a prisoner exchange
in March 1919, four months after the Armistice.
on September 8, 1921. Two of their first three children died in the 1920s due to bad post-war conditions in Germany. They eventually were able to emigrate to the United States
in September, 1927, settling in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. There Kenner set up a successful business working out of his home as an independent commercial artist. Kenner and his family were naturalized
as American citizens in 1934. A fourth child, Christa Kenner Bedford, was born in 1937. Kenner died of natural causes at his home on July 10, 1971 at age 82.
tuition slips, immigration and "alien enemy" registration documents were accepted into the Imperial War Museum
in London
, in October 2005.
Three other British museums acquired the art that Kenner produced in their particular areas during the war: the Surrey Heath
Museum, the Manx National Heritage
Museum in Douglas
, and Bruce Castle Museum.
Several of Kenner's paintings from his Frith Hill PoW camp period were used in the book Reflections – A Heatherside Miscellany by Nick McCormick, published in June 2006.
Several other paintings from Kenner's Alexandra Palace
PoW period were used in the book Ally Pally Prison Camp by Maggie Butt
, published in June 2011.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. He made 110 paintings and drawings during the First World War while interned as a German civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
.
Birth and background
Kenner was born Georg Kennerknecht on November 1, 1888 in the small town of SchwabsoienSchwabsoien
Schwabsoien is a municipality in the Weilheim-Schongau district, in Bavaria, Germany....
, near the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
in the Weilheim-Schongau
Weilheim-Schongau
Weilheim-Schongau is a Kreis in the south of Bavaria, Germany. Neighboring districts are Landsberg, Starnberg, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Ostallgäu.-Geography:...
district of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He went to art school in Germany. He moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1910. He worked at and co-owned the small "process artist" company Waddington & Kennerknecht at 73 Farringdon Street
Farringdon Road
Farringdon Road is a road in Clerkenwell, Central London. Its construction, which took almost 20 years between the 1840s and the 1860s, is considered one of the greatest urban engineering achievements of the nineteenth century...
with a British partner. He also attended night school at London's Lambeth School of Art
Lambeth School of Art
Lambeth School of Art was founded in 1854 by William Gregory as a night school associated with the St. Mary the Less Church in London.-History:...
to study airbrush
Airbrush
An airbrush is a small, air-operated tool that sprays various media including ink and dye, but most often paint by a process of nebulization. Spray guns developed from the airbrush and are still considered a type of airbrush.-History:...
techniques. He was registered as an "alien enemy
Enemy alien
In law, an enemy alien is a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. Usually, but not always, the countries are in a state of declared war.-United Kingdom:...
" on August 23, 1914, then abruptly interned five days after the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
was sunk by a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
on May 7, 1915.
Being a trained commercial artist by profession, and wanting to stay in practice with his work, he negotiated with the PoW camp authorities to be allowed to create what became the most extensive collection of WWI internment
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
scenes known.
History of internment
Kenner was held at three camps, and recorded scenes from each in his artwork: On May 12, 1915, he was first sent to a temporary tent camp built on Frith Hill, on an area which is now part of the Pine Ridge Golf Centre, near FrimleyFrimley
Frimley is a small English town situated 2 miles south of Camberley, in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire. It is about 31 miles west south-west of Central London. It is part of the Borough of Surrey Heath...
, in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. The camp grew to hold 2,000 civilian prisoners, but was considered unsuitable for the approaching winter. On September 29, 1915 Kenner was sent to Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
in North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
. 3,000 internees were held in three sections. Conditions were better here. In June 1916, Kenner was sent to the Knockaloe internment camp on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
in the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
. This camp held 30,000 civilian prisoners for the remainder of the war and beyond. He was finally sent back to Germany in a prisoner exchange
Prisoner exchange
A prisoner exchange or prisoner swap is a deal between opposing sides in a conflict to release prisoners. These may be prisoners of war, spies, hostages, etc...
in March 1919, four months after the Armistice.
Family and later history
Kenner married artist Margarete Bohne in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
on September 8, 1921. Two of their first three children died in the 1920s due to bad post-war conditions in Germany. They eventually were able to emigrate to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in September, 1927, settling in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. There Kenner set up a successful business working out of his home as an independent commercial artist. Kenner and his family were naturalized
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
as American citizens in 1934. A fourth child, Christa Kenner Bedford, was born in 1937. Kenner died of natural causes at his home on July 10, 1971 at age 82.
Disposition of artwork
Many of his drawings, hand-written journal, business card, Lambeth School of ArtLambeth School of Art
Lambeth School of Art was founded in 1854 by William Gregory as a night school associated with the St. Mary the Less Church in London.-History:...
tuition slips, immigration and "alien enemy" registration documents were accepted into the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in October 2005.
Three other British museums acquired the art that Kenner produced in their particular areas during the war: the Surrey Heath
Surrey Heath
Surrey Heath is a local government district with Borough status in Surrey, England. Its Council is based in Camberley. Much of the area is within the Metropolitan Green Belt....
Museum, the Manx National Heritage
Manx National Heritage
Manx National Heritage is the national heritage organisation for the Isle of Man. It was established in 1951 as the Manx National Trust, and its legal title is the Manx Museum and National Trust.-Overview:...
Museum in Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
, and Bruce Castle Museum.
Several of Kenner's paintings from his Frith Hill PoW camp period were used in the book Reflections – A Heatherside Miscellany by Nick McCormick, published in June 2006.
Several other paintings from Kenner's Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
PoW period were used in the book Ally Pally Prison Camp by Maggie Butt
Maggie Butt
- Background:After completing an English degree, Maggie Butt became a newspaper reporter, moving to BBC TV as a documentary writer, producer and director. She later turned to poetry, completing a PhD in creative writing from Cardiff University....
, published in June 2011.
External links
- http://www.myspace.com/cvkbedford/photos/albums/album/895330 George Kenner POW Art in Imperial War Museum, London, from Christa Kenner Bedford Myspace Photo Album
- http://www.myspace.com/cvkbedford/photos/albums/album/913051 George Kenner POW Art in Surrey Heath Museum, from Christa Kenner Bedford Myspace Photo Album
- http://www.myspace.com/cvkbedford/photos/albums/album/913255 George Kenner POW Art in Manx National Heritage Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man, from Christa Kenner Bedford Myspace Photo Album
- http://www.myspace.com/cvkbedford/photos/albums/album/913364 George Kenner POW Art in Bruce Castle Museum, London, from Christa Kenner Bedford Myspace Photo Album
- http://www.myspace.com/cvkbedford/photos/albums/album/1098348 George Kenner non-POW Art, from Christa Kenner Bedford Myspace Photo Album
- http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=GET_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwmcollections.org.uk%2FqryMain.php&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO32040&SE=2912&RN=12&MR=25&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=allResults&EF=&DF=allDetails&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=WPENGMSG.INI&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=216888&NR=0&NB=1&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS= July 1915 George Kenner drawing of Frith Hill tent camp "P.O.W. Camp, A Sunday Morning" on the Imperial War Museum website (13 of 93). Type "Kenner" in IWM searchbox if link is broken.
- http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=GET_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwmcollections.org.uk%2FqryMain.php&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO32040&SE=2912&RN=19&MR=25&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=allResults&EF=&DF=allDetails&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=WPENGMSG.INI&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=216895&NR=0&NB=1&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS= November 1915 George Kenner drawing "Alexandra Sports Palace, London, Converted Into Winter Internment Camp" on the Imperial War Museum website (20 of 93). Type "Kenner" in IWM searchbox if link is broken.
- http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=GET_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwmcollections.org.uk%2FqryMain.php&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO32040&SE=2912&RN=4&MR=25&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=allResults&EF=&DF=allDetails&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=WPENGMSG.INI&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=216880&NR=0&NB=1&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS= April 1917 George Kenner drawing of Isle of Man POW internment camp "Overnight Snowfall Melting Into Slush" on the Imperial War Museum website (5 of 93). Type "Kenner" in IWM searchbox if link is broken.
- http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=GET_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwmcollections.org.uk%2FqryMain.php&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO32040&SE=2912&RN=0&MR=25&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=allResults&EF=&DF=allDetails&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=WPENGMSG.INI&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=216876&NR=0&NB=0&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS= May 1918 George Kenner drawing "View of A POW Camp, Isle of Man" on the Imperial War Museum website (1 of 93). Type "Kenner" in IWM searchbox if link is broken.