Budapest Architects around 1930: Herman Ginczler (1899-1961)

Topics: Introduction * Career * Mengl, Ferenc(z) * Interesting facts * Impressions of Julius * Buildings designed in Budapest

Introduction

Type into Google the name "Ginczler" and you will get a little more than 190 results. So little has been written about the Ginczler family from whom many during the Holocaust died. Herman Ginczler, the architect, deserves a study, because especially in the 30s in the XIII. and XIV. district he designed many buildings and which do have a style that is almost always to describe as a mix between traditional and modern. Extraordinary buildings with often their own, recognizable style.

Career

The sources consulted, do not give more information than that Herman Ginczler (Ginczler Herman) was born in 1899. Further information 0%. Given that he worked as an architect in Budapest, he must are graduated from the Technical University of Budapest. Even searching the database of JewishGen does not provide any information.

* Update August 12, 2011: contact with family (William Veres) of Herman Ginczler: he survived the Holocaust. Moved via Szwitserland to the United Kingdom and died in 1961 in London. Julius hopes soon to extend the information about this architect!

Mengl, Ferenc(z)

A mystery concerns the fact that both in the VIII. and in the XII. district various buildings can be found that strongly resemble the properties of buildings designed by Herman Ginczler, particularly on the XIII. Tatra utca. The similarities are unmistakable. This don't have to be a coincidence, because the Jewish influence, especially in the VII, VIII. and XIII. districts was in the pre-war period very big.

These buildings are not all marked with the name of Ginczler but with the name of the builder: Mengl, Ferenc (z) epitömester. His name is written in two ways. These buildings are provisionally listed separately below, until it is clear whether Herman Ginczler is indeed the architect of these buildings.

Interesting facts

* Born on December 8, 1899 and died in London in 1961;
* Like many of his colleagues, also Herman Ginczler was from Jewish origin; 
* His first name is on the Internet is also displayed as Hermann.

Impressions of Julius

Herman Ginczler tried in his designs to create a mix between traditional Hungarian elements, partly building on the ideas of Károly Kos, some neo-classical elements and some modern. The buildings by this architect whom Julius has seen untill now, covers a period of only six years in which at least 35 buildings have been realized, partly in collaboration with fellow architects.

Use of stone (or bricks) on the ground floor of a building in of his buildings from the period 1933-1935 is a recurring element in many of his designs. The similarities of the buildings designed by Ginczler on the Tatra utca, Hegedüs Gyula utca and Hollan Ernö utca in the XIII. District are striking. Not all buildings are signed by him, but are unmistakably Ginczler, where there is a pattern of a signed building, and also an unsigned building. But if you are familiar with his style you'll recognize them immediatly.

The amount of buildings which were designed by Herman Ginczler in a very short time especially in the XIV. and XIII. district, indicates that he had much esteem in the Jewish world in these parts of Budapest or he had many contacts: Designing at least 30 buildings over a period of four years in two districts is not common.

Very different in style is the building at the XI. Móricz Zsigmond körtér 11-12. On the first look it seems to be one building, but if you look closely you will see the differences and the apartments are designed by different architects, both of Jewish as non Jewish origin. Also several buildings in the XIV. district are different in style.

The Herman Ginczler look a like buildings in the VIII. and XII. district, but which not bear his name, but of the builder Mengl, Ferenc (z), do need further investigations.

Buildings designed in Budapest

Nowadays you still can find the following buildings designed by Herman Ginczler:
1929 - VI. Hajos utca 43: lakóház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 43c: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 43d: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 43e: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 43f: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 45a: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 45b: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 75a: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Erzsébet Királyné útja 75b: lakoház
1931 - XIV. Nagy Lajos Király útja 216: lakoház
1932 - XIV. Nagy Lajos Király útja 193: lakoház
1932 - XIII. Becsi utca 93: lakoház
1932 - XIII. Bókay János utca 50: lakoház
1932 - XIV. Rona utca 213: lakóház
1933 - XIII. Bókay János utca 48: lakoház
1933 - XIII. Tatra utca 31: lakoház
1933 - XIII. Tatra utca 33: lakóház 
1933 - XIII. Tatra utca 34: lakóház
1933 - XIII. Tatra utca 36: lakóház
1933 - XIII. Tatra utca 40: lakóház
1934 - XIII. Hollan Ernö utca 6: lakoház
1934 - XIII. Hollan Ernö utca 12: lakoház
1934 - XIII. Hollan Ernö utca 14 / Kantona József utca 20: lakoház
1934 - XIII. Hollan Ernö utca 33: lakóház
1934 - XIII. Poszonyi utca 13: lakoház (date around)
1934 - XIII. Poszonyi utca 11: lakoház (date around)
1934 - XIII. Pannonia utca 46b: lakóház
1934 - XIII. Hegedüs Gyula utca 22: lakóház
1934 - XIII. Poszonyi utca 5: lakoház (together with Béla Borbely)
1935 - XIII. Balzac utca 28: lakoház
1935 - XIII. Tatra utca 29: lakóház
1935 - II. Fö utca 69: lakoház
1935 - XI. Móricz Zsigmond körtér 11-12: berház
? - VIII. Somogyi Béla utca 24: lakóház (together with N. Morbitzer)
? - XIII. Poszonyi utca 49: lakoház
? - XIII. Poszonyi utca 56: lakoház

Buildings signed "Mengl Ferenc(z) épitömester"
? - VIII. Salétrom utca 2b en 2c: lakóház
? - VIII. Vadjahunyad utca 17: lakóház
? - VIII. Vadjahunyad utca 27: lakóház
? - XII. Varosmajor utca 19b: lakóház
? - XII. Kléh István utca 4: lakóház
(List subject to change!)

(Last update and verification of links: January 11, 2012)