Heinz Gaugel

He created multiple installations in the US and Canada, the most well-known of which is the Behalt cyclorama at the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center (AMHC) in Holmes County, Ohio.

Heinz Gaugel was born August 25, 1927, in Eybach in the Black Forest region of Germany, where he grew up speaking Swabish, a dialect similar to the Pennsylvania Dutch spoken by most Amish.

[2] Gaugel was drafted into the German army during World War II in 1944, when he was 17, sent to the Western Front, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

[2][9] During the trip he stopped in the town of Berlin, Ohio, for lunch, and overheard someone speaking what sounded much like his mother tongue.

[8] Gaugel had been working on a large glazed-brick mural in Fonthill, Ontario, and when he had completed it he and his family moved to the Holmes County area in 1972, where they took up residence on an Amish-owned farm.

[5][4] He began painting it in the Dunkard Brethren Church in Bunker Hill, Ohio, which at the time held the Mennonite Information Center, where he had set up a studio.

[2] After the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center (AMHC) purchased the unfinished painting in 1988, he continued his work on it in their space, often while visitors watched.

[17] Commissioned Work In the 1970s, Heinz Gaugel created a remarkable sgraffito for a private residence in Pataskala, Ohio.

This intricate piece, which is installed on the exterior of the home, depicts scenes of early logging, portraying the strength and skill of the loggers as they work.

This artwork, crafted in Gaugel's signature style, integrates seamlessly with the architectural design, enhancing the rustic charm of the home while providing a unique glimpse into American labor history.

The piece is one of several large-scale sgraffito works by Gaugel, who was known for his attention to historical detail and ability to depict human effort in monumental form.

Gaugel worked in fresco, Byzantine mosaic, glazed brick, sgraffito, polyurethane enamel, and oil on canvas.

[18] A memorial service was held for him in the mural hall at the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center January 7, 2001.