Everyone knows it - the Düsseldorfer Radschläger, designed in 1960 by one of the most well-known Düsseldorf artists and one of the most ingenious jewelry designers in the world, Professor Friedrich Becker. The Radschläger is a Düsseldorf symbol of sympathy and stands for the close ties of the citizens to their city and moves their hearts. 2022 would have been his 100th birthday and Düsseldorf is celebrating the avant-gardist and free spirit. 

The association "Prof. Friedrich Becker e.V." is taking care of the entire festivities, especially the creation and installation of a large Radschläger sculpture, and the association would also be very happy about donations and new members. Alethea Talks had the honor of an interview with Heike Kappes, chairwoman of the "Prof. Friedrich Becker e.V."
January 30, 2022

Interview Directory 

ART, DÜSSELDORF

Name: Heike Kappes

Occupation: Chairman Professor Friedrich Becker e.V.. whose aim is the care and preservation of the artistic legacy of Friedrich Becker.

The first ever Radschläger - it is a doorknob on the Lambertuskirche in Düsseldorf 

Photo: ©Heike Kappes

Professor Friedrich Becker always dreamed that the Radschläger would greet the boatmen coming across the Rhine, Portrait Friedrich Becker ©Privat

Insignia of the city of Düsseldorf, Professor Friedrich Becker was a goldsmith for the insignia of the city of Düsseldorf Photo: ©Michael Berger

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Can you say how Professor Friedrich Becker was inspired to create his Radschläger?

Movement meant everything to him and he loved happiness. He picked up the story of the Radschläger as early as 1958 in the Bürgermeister Kette (Mayor's Chain), whose chain links are little Radschlägers. Then, in 1960, he put the first Radschläger on the Lambertuskirche. This was the first Radschläger to appear in Düsseldorf. The pastor needed a new doorknob because, as he said, the 'Pänz" (Düsseldorf expression for little children) had broken it. Professor Friedrich Becker put his Radschläger on the night before Karfreitag with his wife Hilde because, as so often, he was not satisfied and had not finished in time.

How did you get to know Hilde Becker?

Friedrich Becker was a patient of my husband several times, they had a very trusting relationship. After his death, Hilde Becker sought contact with my husband again. She knew that he made rounds on Sundays and invited him to dinner. We knew Hilde Becker over a period of 25 years and over time a familiar and familial relationship developed. Our children had a wonderful grandmother. 

Hilde Becker was always, as long as I knew her, concerned about how her husband's art could continue to be in the public eye after her death. She bequeathed a great deal of jewelry to museums, many pieces of jewelry were auctioned off, the proceeds benefiting the museums. She passed this task on to me - and eventually adopted me as her daughter as well. Adoption is a responsibility and honor for me. I don't like to talk about it in public.

An inheritance is not only a privilege, but it can also bring burdens. Were you aware of this at the beginning?

No, not to this extent. I knew that it was a matter of convincing people, organizing exhibitions and collecting donations. But it is a special responsibility to do the right thing. It is not an easy task and I like to do it in memory of Hilde Becker, who put this task on my heart and made the promise "I want you to do this".

Hilde Becker ©Heike Kappes

Is there a separate museum for all Becker art and jewelry objects, or are the jewelry pieces distributed among various museums today?

Hilde Becker put together which museum should receive which pieces of jewelry. The rest were to be auctioned off and the proceeds in turn go to museums. The same applied to the paintings and art objects. Hilde Becker had very clear ideas and wrote instructions in her will for each piece of jewelry and picture as to where it should go. Today his jewelry is distributed among numerous museums, such as the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, the Goldschmiedehaus Hanau, and museums in Hamburg and Cologne. Goldsmiths' Hall in London held an exhibition on rings last November and they displayed a tray exclusively of Becker rings.

"Movement is the only stable thing."

Can you tell how many pieces of jewelry Professor Friedrich Becker created? Did he have a boutique and in which price range were the pieces?

We don't know with accuracy, because he made an infinite number of variations. Unfortunately, there is no catalog of works. He developed everything from variable jewelry with interchangeable stones to kinetic jewelry. Some jewelry can have several versions - I myself own a ring that has many different color variations due to interchangeable stones. Professor Friedrich Becker had endless joy in the development. A quote from him shows how important the subject of movement was for him: "Movement is the only stable thing". Professor Friedrich Becker did not have his own boutique - his customers came home and sales were made at the dining table. 

To your question of the price range, I can say that there was a great increase in value after his death. A kinetic ring can have a material value of 3000 to 4000 euros and be sold at auction for 15,000 euros. During Hilde Becker's lifetime there were 2 auctions at the Dorotheum auction house. The auction house Quittenbaum and Lempertz also had auctions with Becker jewelry after her death in 2018. I think that for most people Becker jewelry is no longer a concept today, but I myself find it incomparable.

Professor Friedrich Becker's work was of course much more comprehensive than jewelry.

Of course - he also worked on very large kinetics. In the south of Düsseldorf, Garath stand his sun wheels or there are large Becker sculptures also in other cities; he also liked to make fountains. For many company headquarters he designed large kinetics in the entrance halls, some of them motor-driven. He also designed many monstrances for churches, but also silver tableware, silver tea sets and candlesticks.

For the city of Düsseldorf, he designed the Amtskette des Stadtoberhaupts (mayor's chain). That was in 1958, when he lived in Mühlenstraße and his studio was in the kitchen. He can be called the city goldsmith of Düsseldorf, because he also made the insignia of the city, as well as a goblet and the council bell, which are still in the city hall. Also the rings of honor that the city awards are still made according to his design. Professor Friedrich Becker had endless ideas. His wife Hilde said that he still had ideas for the next 20 years. Unfortunately he died much too early.

From an artistic point of view, can you say that Hilde Becker was Professor Friedrich Becker's muse?

I did not get to know both of them in interaction and can only draw conclusions from Hilde Becker's stories. She probably did not influence him in his creative work; he was completely in his own world. Hilde Becker kept his back free and made sure that he was not burdened with financial and organizational matters. The workshop was located in the house and Hilde took care of everything and even cooked for the workshop employees. She herself was a medical assistant; but was very knowledgeable when it came to gemstones. She had an unerring taste and often took over the sales advice for the customers.

Who is involved in Professor Friedrich Becker e. V. today and how can you inspire people to participate? How much of your time does the association take up?

The association grew out of close friends of Hilde. One of our members is the biggest collector of Becker jewelry. Mr. Berger, the last workshop employee, is also a member. He continued the workshop for 2 years after Hilde's death and finished the orders. Mr. Berger received the rights to produce the rings of honor for the city of Düsseldorf. Our club has 30 members at the moment. It is difficult to find new members. We work with the advertising agency d.a.n.k.e., which supports non-profit companies, and this has already brought us good results.

The association itself is a big challenge for me. It was very difficult to find a location for the big Radschläger sculpture. The idea for this big Radschläger is from Professor Friedrich Becker himself, who always dreamed that the Radschläger would greet the boatmen coming across the Rhine. In 2013, we tried to convince the then Lord Mayor of this location - unfortunately without success.

The University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf, Professor Sonnen, had the idea to install the planned Radschläger on the new campus. Of course, it was still a long approval process but in January 2021 we received the approval. We also redesigned our website and Facebook page in our anniversary year, which brings new attention to our association.

The city of Dusseldorf owns Radschläger licenses? 

The city of Düsseldorf and also Düsseldorf Tourismus, which runs tourist stores, have a license for Radschläger articles. The city has the right to give away the Radschläger articles and the city corporation has the right to sell them. Both are supporters of the great Radschläger project, with the Lord Mayor being our patron.

If your association is non-profit, surely there is a lot to consider?

I used to do a lot of association work and know my stuff. We are allowed to generate donations, but not to have sales or income from sales. A very fruitful action was the development of small Radschläger pins. The FiftyFifty street vendors sold 10,000 of them - they were very happy after the Corona period to have received income from this that they could keep completely. This action also drew attention to our association again.

Another action was the production of limited 50 pieces of 50 cm Radschläger made of larch wood, which were produced by the Werkstätte für Angepasste Arbeit (workshop for adapted work). Offered through an online platform, all were sold within 3 days.

So the association has now become your life's work? What was your profession before that?

I worked as a nurse for 6 years and then caught up on my high school diploma. Actually I wanted to study, but we had 3 children and my husband had a responsible position, so I took over the office administration.

As chairwoman of the Professor Friedrich Becker e. V. you have been given a role in the public eye. Do you like this and how do you cope with it?

It's not really mine. I'm not shy of people but I don't like being the center of attention. This year, however, a lot will be coming my way and I'm looking forward to it.

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