Loriot's artistic estate and Studio Loriot are moving permanently to the Caricatura Museum for Comic Art on the Main
Probably the most significant estate in German comedy is getting a new home: The complete artistic estate of Vicco von Bülow, better known as Loriot, is going on permanent loan to the Caricatura Museum for Comic Art in Frankfurt. This was announced by Ina Hartwig, Head of the Department of Culture, and Martin Sonntag, Director of the Museum, on the occasion of the artist's 102nd birthday.
This finally establishes Frankfurt as a centre of German satirical history. The Caricatura Museum had already shown the official anniversary exhibition for Loriot's 100th birthday in 2023/24 – a great success with 130,000 visitors. Now not only the estate, but also the Loriot studio is moving from Berlin to the Main.
A cultural treasure – and a sign of trust
For Hartwig, head of the city's cultural affairs department, the von Bülow family's decision sends a signal far beyond the city limits. "This is truly a cultural treasure," she said. She said they were aware of their responsibility: "We are well aware of the trust that the von Bülow family has placed in us. I would like to express my sincere thanks for this. For us, this great trust goes hand in hand with a great responsibility."
Museum director Sonntag also speaks of a "stroke of luck" – for his institution and for the city. The proximity between the New Frankfurt School, whose works form the core of the Caricatura Museum's collection, and Loriot has always been great in terms of content. "The New Frankfurt School and Loriot were and are not far apart in terms of content. The fact that they are now being brought together here is a stroke of luck," said Sonntag.
From Lake Starnberg to the Weckmarkt
Since Loriot's death in 2011, his estate has been kept in the studio and villa of the von Bülow family in Ammerland on Lake Starnberg. The artist had lived and worked there with his wife Rose-Marie. After the death of his youngest daughter, Susanne von Bülow, in January 2025, the community of heirs decided to place the estate in professional museum hands – and chose Frankfurt as the "stronghold of comic art".
Museum director Martin Sonntag and collection director Thomas Kronenberg had already viewed the inventory at Lake Starnberg in the summer. In close consultation with the family and Till Kaposty-Bliss, the new managing director of Studio Loriot, the estate was transferred piece by piece to the archives of the Caricatura Museum.
Pipes, records and a famous desk
The scope of the collection is considerable: in addition to original drawings, it includes Loriot's legendary LP collection, stage models of his opera productions and personal items. Among them are his pipe collection, a box of mysterious keys and the desk at which many of his famous cartoons were created. N
"You can imagine the respect with which we received this cultural treasure," said Sonntag. Loriot is "probably the most important artist in the field of comedy in Germany". His phrases have entered everyday language as catchphrases, and "what would Christmas be without the Hoppenstedts?" The museum had already shown great confidence in the house with the big anniversary show; since then, there has been close contact with the family and studio.
Studio Loriot moves to the Main
With the estate comes a central institution of Loriot's legacy to Frankfurt: Studio Loriot is relocating its headquarters from Berlin to Weckmarkt."The trust was built up through the good cooperation on the major anniversary exhibition and the intensive exchange after it ended," explains managing director Till Kaposty-Bliss. As co-curator of the show, he said he had "come to know and appreciate the museum in all its facets". Against the backdrop of the question of where the estate should go, the decision was quickly made: to Caricatura in Frankfurt. "We are now also opening the Loriot Studio here, which was previously located in Berlin."
Loriot's grandson Leo von Bülow-Quirk, spokesperson for the family, emphasises the personal aspect: "Here, we as a family also feel that the works and personal items are truly in good hands." Over the past few months, there has been "close and productive communication" and a "good feeling about the transfer to Frankfurt" quickly developed. A circle closes – Loriot and the New Frankfurt School The choice of Frankfurt is also based on biographical reasons. Loriot designed the first cover of the satirical magazine "Pardon", which was published by Frankfurt-based Bärmeier Ampersand Nikel Verlag – the same publisher that released Loriot's first books. This is where the artists of the New Frankfurt School came together, whose works now form the basis of the Caricatura Museum's collection.
The relocation of the estate thus closes a circle: the artists of the New Frankfurt School and Loriot were friends and held each other in high regard. The anniversary exhibition at the Caricatura Museum had already impressively demonstrated this closeness. The von Bülow family has a clear expectation regarding the permanent loan: the work should not disappear into storage, but should be permanently accessible to the public, at least in part.Hartwig refers to the "significance and charisma" of this step for Frankfurt – and to the obligation that comes with it. The transfer of the estate is linked to the agreement of a permanent exhibition. "Now it is up to us to decide how the story will continue," said the head of the cultural department. The aim is to jointly develop a concept "that does justice to Loriot's artistic legacy". When and in what form the estate can be displayed in an appropriate manner should be "worked out calmly and, above all, thoroughly". She is convinced that Frankfurt can thus underpin its claim to be the "satire capital of the Federal Republic". With the Loriot estate and its existing holdings, the Caricatura Museum's collection presents itself not only as a central collection of post-war German satire, but also as an important witness to the cultural and contemporary history of the Federal Republic.
Inventory before staging
But first, the patient work of the museum must be done. "The first thing to do now, however, is to properly inventory Loriot's collection and thus lay the groundwork for further steps," emphasises Sonntag. Kaposty-Bliss also stresses that Loriot's humorous legacy should not disappear into the archives. It is "far too valuable to be permanently stored in a depot". The aim is to create a place in Frankfurt "where excerpts of his work can be permanently displayed to the public".
Enkel von Bülow-Quirk is optimistic about the collaboration: "As a family, we are in close contact with the museum, and together with Studio Loriot, we have a trio in which we have been able to communicate very well so far. I look forward to continuing the collaboration and implementing the many ideas for presenting the works."
