A11 Historic preservation activities concerning instruments: The engagement against the destruction of cultural heritage in crafts.

Due to his early function as a restorer at Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg and trained violin maker as well, Prof. Friedemann Hellwig became contact-person No.1 when it was about to mediate the knowledge of the professional qualifications during a restoration to craftsmen. From 1988 to 2003 until his retirement, he was a professor of conservation and restoration of objects made of wood at the Fachhochschule Köln and until 2009 regularly expert guest on the show “Kunst und Krempel” on the Bavarian television.

In 1995, I organized a colloquium at the Federal Academy for Musical Instruments in Ludwigsburg serving the need of a direct exchange of views, but the incompatibility of objectives too clearly emerged. For obvious reasons, the craftsman's diploma in piano making was over years not accepted as requirement for studying at the Department of Conservation and Restoration at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences.

Imparting basic knowledge in the craft nonetheless remained a desideratum and so I came to represent the Germanisches Nationalmuseum on the occasion of the Rencontres européennes des Musées de la musique on the ITEMM (Institut Technologique Européen des Métiers de la Musique) in Le Mans and I have to thank Dr. Krickeberg for his support in this regard.

It remains a sad fact that numerous historical documents suffered severe damage from artisanal operations. Even the Claviorganum shown on this page from the period around 1780 is unfortunately no exception. Comforting is only the fact that the restoration of playability - how whatsoever- must be recognized as a reason why such instruments could survive. To give another example: the above mentioned Claviorganum served for placing champagne glasses on the occasion of various events and thus fulfilled another task which justified the preservation.