Alfred Mahlau's 1926 Lübeck Festival Scroll Unveiled at Behnhaus

The Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus in Lübeck is presenting Alfred Mahlau's 18-meter-long watercolor scroll, created for the 1926 festival celebrating 600 years of Lübeck's imperial immediacy. The scroll, comprising 36 sheets, was gifted to museum director Carl Georg Heise after the festival but was lost for decades, not even appearing in Mahlau's catalog raisonné. Now, the first half is on display until November 22, 2026, curated by historian Jan Zimmermann. The scroll depicts Lübeck's history chronologically, from the granting of the imperial charter to the Hanseatic era, the plague, Napoleonic wars, and modern developments like the Lübeck-Büchen Railway. Mahlau, primarily known as a commercial graphic designer, also created the iconic Niederegger marzipan packaging, the Hoffmann & Campe logo, and emergency money ("Eiergeld") during hyperinflation. The exhibition includes his costume designs and preparatory drawings, noted for their confident linework. A second installment will follow mid-exhibition due to the watercolors' light sensitivity.