Josef Thorak

Josef Thorak's 1928 work Heim, now located in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany.

Josef Thorak (b 7 February 1889 at Salzburg, Austria; d 26 February 1952 at Hartmannsberg, Germany) was an Austrian-German sculptor, and, along with Arno Breker, became one of the two "official sculptors" of the Third Reich.

In his government-issued studio outside Munich, Thorak worked on his statues, some of which were 65 feet tall.

In 1922 he created Der sterbende Krieger, a statue in memory to the dead of World War I of Stolpmuende. His works also include a number of sculptures at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.

Because of his preference for muscular neo-classical nude sculpture, he was known among some as "Professor Thorax". Some expressionist influences can be noticed in his neoclassical style.

See also

• Nazi architecture
• Arno Breker