II. - Schloss Schwetzingen

Schwetzingen is described as the most wellpreserved
garden of the late Classical period. 145
On the other hand, three years later, Ludwig L.
Fuchs criticizes the fact that the clarity of the
central circular parterre was being impaired
by the avenues – the trees had evidently been
allowed to grow wild again. 146
After WWI, a discussion about the value of
old gardens as historic monuments set in. 147
Among the examples cited was the palace
garden at Schwetzingen, which, due to its
original architectural layout and the competent
care taken of it, had been justifying the vision
of its creators for more than a century. The
main danger to gardens was considered to be
the addition of buildings or garden features
without due knowledge or understanding;
in this way, many heritage sites had been
impaired or partially destroyed. To prevent this
from happening again, the former electoral
parks and gardens should be “protected from
ruin, destruction, wilful enlargement or
reduction, as well as from being put to unsuitable
uses” by the government. Moreover, a list
of those state, communal and private gardens
qualifying as works of art was called for, to
facilitate their inclusion in an inventory of
historic monuments and heritage sites.
The Schwetzingen garden director, Gustav
Adolf Unselt, spoke of his concerns for the
survival of the garden in a public lecture.
“Today we admire the generous layout of the
garden, an effect its creators could not have
foreseen. Unfortunately the current state
of affairs makes the garden’s survival seem
doubtful. This garden, originally created as one
prince’s labour of love, has long provided the
inhabitants of Schwetzingen and its surroundings
with an incomparable recreation area,
and visitors from afar with all the pleasure a
work of art can provide.” 148 Unselt was also
145 Wilhelm Schubert, “Geometrische und räumliche Gärten”, in:
Die Gartenkunst, 5/1910, p. 73.
146 Ludwig F. Fuchs, “Vier alte Gartenanlagen – Schwetzingen,
Schönbusch und die Hofgärten Veitshöchheim und Würzburg”,
in: Die Gartenkunst, 10/1913, pp. 143-149.
147 W. v. Engelhardt, “Gartenanlage und Denkmalpfl ege”, in: Die
Gartenkunst, 2/1922, pp. 13-15.
148 Gustav A. Unselt, “Vortrag über den Schlossgarten zu Schwetzingen”,
unpublished manuscript, Sandhofen, 5th February
1922.
III. Schwetzingen – Historical Context
a talented organisator who managed, in the
diffi cult years after WWI, to fi nance a modest
degree of garden upkeep by the sale of produce
– fruit and vegetables, fi sh, wood, grass, leaves,
ice to supply the cellars of breweries and mud
from the ponds to fertilize fi elds.
The Forestry Commission in Charge of the
Garden
When the garden’s upkeep was entrusted to
the state forestry commission in 1924, experts
everywhere feared for its survival, the more so
as a massive reduction in staff was announced
at the same time. It was deemed incomprehensible
“how such a cultural treasure, ranking at
least as high as museums and art collections,
could be left to perish like that.“ 149 Local history
and heritage institutions and gardeneres were
urged to take “energetic” action. However,
the garden was far from doomed, as became
evident from the criticism that was soon raised
concerning a number of repair and maintenance
measures. It was, however, the lack of a
garden expert in charge of them, rather than
the results that was being criticized. 150 The
efforts at reconstruction were largely approved
– it was noted that “a visit to the splendid
garden has become a great pleasure again.“ 151
To ensure the continued preservation of the
palace gardens, experts considered the founding
of a horticultural college at Schwetzingen.
These activities in themselves served to bring
the gardens of Schwetzingen to the attention
of the public at large, and garden specialists in
particular. 152
Concepts of Appropriate Preservation
The art historian Franz Hallbaum uses the
example of Schwetzingen, to point out the
constant threats to the work of art that is
a garden. He calls for care and a sense of
responsibility in looking after it, and provi-
149 Anonym, “Inland-Rundschau”, in: Die Gartenwelt, 4/1924, p.
32.
150 Anonym, “Neue Gefahr für Schwetzingen”, in: Die Gartenwelt,
5/1927, p. 76.
151 Anonym, “Inland-Rundschau”, in: Die Gartenwelt, 18/1928, p.
251.
152 Diebolder, “Gartenbauhochschule in Schwetzingen”, in: Die
Gartenwelt, 28/1928, p. 388. And: Diebolder, “Schlosspark
Schwetzingen”, in: Die Gartenwelt, 35/1928, pp. 479-480.
III.
153