Adolf Cluss (1825-1905)
From Germany to America
Adolf Cluss, born in 1825 in Heilbronn, emigrated to the United States in 1848 at the time of the failed revolution in the German states. Until 1858 he was a member of the Communist League around Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. In the years after the American Civil War, he became the most influential architect in Washington DC, especially known for his model schools and other public buildings.
From September 9, 2005 to January 15, 2006 in Heilbronn and from September 15, 2005 to February 28, 2006 in Washington DC, exhibitions took place to mark the 100th anniversary of his death. Public events in both Washington and Heilbronn focussed on Adolf Cluss's life and work.
Information on this site is based on research work done for the 2005 exhibitions. More recent discoveries about the life and work of Adolf Cluss are added according to our possibilities. Research information can be found here.