His Life
About Wilhelm Webels it has been written and said so much on catalogues 
newspapers, radio and internet, on occasion of his exhibitions, that on this site we
want to concentrate mainly on the creation of a list of his artworks.
newspapers, radio and internet, on occasion of his exhibitions, that on this site we
want to concentrate mainly on the creation of a list of his artworks.
1896
Born on the 19th of December in Essen, Germany, where his father
had his own typography
1908 – 16
He attended classical studies at the Goethe Gymnasium
in Essen.
1916 – 18
Military service in France.
1918
He studied medicine in Münster, Würzburg, Göttingen and Berlin.
He did his doctorate in philosophy and in medicine.
1922 – 23
He worked as a medical assistant at the Civil Hospital of Essen.
He married Maria, ‘nee Schaefers.
In the meantime he pursued artistic training in the famous
Folkwangschule in Essen, which in the 1920s was a center for
all the arts in Germany, under the guidance of professors
Enseling (sculpture) and Urbach (painting).
He also participated actively in the resistance against the
occupation of the Rhineland.
1923 - 24 He escaped with his wife and brother from Germany to the United
States where he was active in the field of art and specializing in
medicine at the Pennsylvania University of Philadelphia.
1925 - 29 He worked as a medical assistant at the Elisabeth Hospital
of Essen.
1930 He took up the post of Head Consultant of the Department of
Gynecology at the Elisabeth Hospital of Recklinghausen.
1943
Banned from practising medicine, he was therefore again
conscripted into the army.
1945
Taken prisoner by the British, he worked as a doctor from April to
September in the newly liberated concentration camp of Bergen
Belsen.
1945 – 65 He carried on again his activity as Head Consultant of the
Department of Gynecoloty at the Elisabeth Hospital
of Recklinghausen.
1955
First oil paintings (Webels will paint until his death in1972)
Member of the “Vestischer Künstlerbund” (Circle of artists),
he entertained friendly relations with the Expressionists
Otto Pankok, Franz Radziwill and Ludwig Meidner.
1965
He moved into his home in Willingen – Sauerland and started
realizing his first sculptures made of old oak beams.
1967
First xilographies.
1970-72 Watercolours and acrylic paintings.
1972
Wilhelm Webels died on the 26th of August at the age of 75.
Wilhelm Webels started painting at school age. His art studies at the
Folkwangschule in Essen are influenced by the so called “Rhineland
Expressionism ” of Urbach to whom he was closely linked. Regarding the period
prior to 1955 we only know of some individual works.
Having started to paint again in 1955, he followed this passion up until his death in
1972. After his first attempts in the figurative art, he shortly replaced the brush with
the palette-knife, becoming an avid enthusiast of expressive realism.
The artworks of Wilhelm Webels have been shown in numerous solo and
collective art exhibitions in
Germany,
Italy,
Canada and
Netherlands
We do not have precise data about the countless press releases.
Painting and sculptures by Wilhelm Webels are now in possession of many collectors, both private
and family collections.
Artworks of Wilhelm Webels can also be found at:
•
Deutsches Museum (Museum of History), Bonn: exhibition of a bust made of oak
portraying Konrad Adenauer
•
Franz Hitze Accademy of Münster
•
City of Recklinghausen
•
City of Kassel
•
City of Naumburg
•
City of Herten
• City hall of Willingen - Sauerland
•
Ruhrland Museum of Essen
•
Kunsthalle (Art Gallery) of Recklinghausen
•
Faust Memorial Monument - Knittlingen
•
Dr. Franz Hengsbach, catholic military Bishop of Bonn
* Elisabeth Hospital of Recklinghausen
Writings and Conferences on Wilhelm Webels
“ Dr. Roberto Armenia, writer and journalist, article on newspaper “Resto del Carlino” in 2006,
and several conferences at “Ritrovo degli Artisti” - Sestola/Modena - Italy from 2006 to 2011
"
Werner Bergengruen , writer, Baden-Baden - Germany 1953
“ Dr. Clemens Boecker, Muenster, Germany 1957-1967-1971-1972
“ Fabio Bottonelli, journalist, article on “Bargiornale” April 2007 Italy
“ Collin Campbell, Ars Sacra ‘77 Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery Halifax Canada 1977
"
Dr. Alfred Ehrentreich, Korbach - Germany, 5 articles between 1968 and 1977
“ Michele Fuoco, art historian, article on newspaper “Gazzetta di Modena”, Italy, 2006
"
Geibel Karl, chief editor at “Leonberger Kreiszeitung”, Stuttgart - Germany (in the period
from 1960 to 1991, Geibel held numerous conferences and published 16 writings
on Wilhelm Webels)
"
Prof. Thomas Grochowiak, director of the Museum of Recklinghausen, Germany 1967
"
Dr. Anton Henze, art historian, Rome - Italy (numerous conferences and 14 publications
on Wilhelm Webels)
"
Norbert Hormann, director of the Elisabeth Hospital of Recklinghausen, Germany
"
Ph.Dr. Josef Kellerwessel, Wiesbaden, Germany 1967
"
Dr. Franz-Josef, Kirschner, Krefeld - Germany
"
Prof. Dr. Heijo Klein, art historian, Friedrich Wilhelm University, Bonn, Germany
"
Dr. Franz Lorenz, chief editor at “Echo der Zeit” of Recklinghausen - Germany
(between 1957 and 1969 he published10 articles on Wilhelm Webels)
Dr. Gerhard Martens, Deutsches Kulturinstitut, Triest, Italy, 1970
“ Hanns Maur, high school teacher Ludwigsburg, Germany 1966
"
Theo Oltmann gallerist , Unkel/Bonn, Germany (several exhibitions)
"
Gord-Hayen Oltmanns, thesis on Wilhelm Webels in 1993
"
G. Pierce, The Mail Star, Halifax-Canada,1971
Radio G3 Italia - Giulio Montanero, 1970 on the occasion of the art exhibitions in Triest and in
Sistiana, Italy
Radio Bremen on the occasion of the Feature Prize awarded to Wilhelm Webels
Radio WDR on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Wilhel Webels
on the 19.12.1996
Dr. Rainer Röckelein, Mayen, Germany
"
Dr. Anneliese Schröder, Recklinghausen, Germany, 1993
"
Dr. Hans Ludwing Schulte, Kassel, Germany, 1967
"
Eva-Maria Severin , general-publisher, Bonn - Germany 08.01.1993 “ The Secret of Being”
“ Anne Stephan, “Wiesbadener Kurier” 02.08.1976
"
Südwestfunk II., “Kulturspiegel”, Werner Helmes 19.12.1975
“ Jànos Szabò, presentation of the book in German “ Neueste Zeitung” Budapest 16.04.88
"
Dr.Ferdinand Ullrich, director of the Museum of Recklinghausen, Germany, 1967
"
Dr. Hugo Vautrin, Bergwerk Walsum, Germany, 1991
"
Christiane Webels, 2006 -2012 various conferences and permament exhibition of the
artworks of Wilhelm Webels at the Restaurant “ Ritrovo degli Artisti”, Sestola (Mo) Italy
"
Hermann Webels, Gladbeck / Westfalen, Germany conferences in1991-1993-2002
"
Ellinor Wendel Boehringer - Mannheim, Germany 1961-1962-1964
"
Norbert Wübken , Coesfeld, memories of Wilhelm Webels, 1973
"
Prof. Dr. Frank G. Zehnder, Museum of Wallraf-Richart, Cologne, Germany1991
"
Dr. Rainer Zimmermann, art historian , Marburg, Germany 1996
" ... and many others
We will add over time, where it seems to be necessary, some notes with
explanations, for a better understanding of the individual works.
