Werner Berg Museum

Werner Berg vor dem Rutarhof, 1964
Herbert Boeckls, der in Kunstkreisen großen Einfluss besaß
und Werner Berg ablehnend gegenüberstand, nicht zustande
kam. Das Klagenfurter Künstlerhaus zeigte jedoch eine
große Ausstellung. Viele Kärntner wurden bei dieser Gelegenheit
auf Werner Berg aufmerksam, darunter künftige
Sammler, die ihn später durch ihre Ankäufe unabhängig machen
sollten.
Die Beziehung Werner Bergs zu Christine Lavant erlebte
zu dieser Zeit ihren letzten Höhepunkt und ihr Scheitern.
Im Jänner 1955 versuchte Werner Berg, seinem Leben
durch Einnahme einer Überdosis starker Schlafmittel ein Ende
zu setzen. Er konnte unter dramatischen Umständen gerettet
werden, blieb jedoch fünf Tage bewusstlos, erlitt auf
der Intensivstation eine Lungenentzündung und bekam aufgrund
der damaligen Mehrfachverwendung von Injektionsnadeln
eine Hepatitis, die ihn für Monate ans Spital fesselte.
Im Herbst musste er neuerlich aufgrund von Spätfolgen seiner
Hepatitis in stationäre Behandlung und verbrachte so
insgesamt acht Monate im Klagenfurter Landeskrankenhaus.
Er konnte diese Krise überstehen und verarbeitete sie
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Werner Berg met Adele Kaindl, a division head at the
Ministry of Education. She showed great interest in his work and
supported him with purchases for the ministry in following years.
In May 1951 Berg’s daughter Ursula married Heimo
Kuchling. As was the case in all of the children’s marriages, separation
from the father was not easy.
In 1953 Werner Berg participated in an exhibition of
Carinthian artists at the Secession in Vienna. He refused a
commission to create a mural in Cologne, and he reacted to all
further requests similarly, stating that «he was only accustomed
to creating form from the circumstances of his life, from
inner connection and a powerful spiritual moment.»
An exhibition in Vienna was planned for Werner Berg’s
fiftieth birthday, but due to objections raised by Herbert
Boeckl, who had great influence in artistic circles and displayed
a dismissive attitude toward Berg, it did not take place.
Nevertheless, the Klagenfurter Künstlerhaus presented a
major exhibition. Many Carinthians first took notice of the
artist’s work on this occasion, among them future collectors,
who would later ensure Berg’s independence through their
purchases.
During this period Werner Berg’s relationship with Christine
Lavant reached its last highpoint and also its conclusion.
In January 1955, Werner Berg attempted to end his life
by taking an overdose of strong sleeping pills. It was possible
to save him in a dramatic rescue operation, but he remained
unconscious for five days, contracted pneumonia on the intensive
care station and also was infected with hepatitis due to
the reuse of hypodermic needles, which was a common practice
at the time. The latter illness confined him to a hospital
bed for several months. In autumn he was again hospitalized
due to complications arising from the hepatitis, and thus he
spent a total of eight months in the Klagenfurt Hospital. In the
end he succeeded in getting through this crisis and dealt with
it in a series of hospital images. The writings of the philosopher
and mystic Simone Weill became a revelation to him during
his recovery; he referred to her as his «saint». Berg’s
friends and supporters gave him new courage and also were
active in giving him assistance. Public and private purchases
mitigated the major economic difficulties faced by the farm.