Institut für deutsche Tattoo-Geschichte

The Institut für deutsche Tattoo-Geschichte e.V. (IDTG) — also written Institut für deutsche Tätowier-Geschichte e.V. — is a German non-profit association dedicated to the scholarly study of the history of tattooing in Germany within an international context. It describes itself as an interdisciplinary, charitable organisation that promotes exchange between research and cultural institutions, especially in the fields of history, cultural studies, art history and media studies. The institute supports researchers with source material, advice and networking, and cooperates with universities, museums, archives and collections on exhibitions, publications and projects. It also makes selected objects and content available for scholarly and curatorial use, and publishes its research findings in specialist publications, lectures and exhibitions. The IDTG emerged in 2018 from the research project Nachlass Warlich, which since 2015 had been devoted to the scholarly reappraisal of objects, visual material, written documents and the historical and contemporary reception of the Hamburg tattoo artist Christian Warlich (1891–1964). Its founding coincided with preparations for the exhibition Tattoo-Legenden. Christian Warlich auf St. Pauli at the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte (2019/20), in which the IDTG participated as a cooperation partner. During this work it became clear that tattoo-specific historical holdings in Germany had until then been systematically recorded, secured and scientifically examined only to a limited extent. Against this background the IDTG offers an institutional framework to systematically develop, contextualise and make available long-term tattoo-historical holdings. The Nachlass Warlich project forms the basis of the institute's work and serves as a model for further projects, for example on Horst Streckenbach or Ruth and Hans Ullrich. The IDTG is supported in part by donations from the sale of Warlich Rum, a product originally created in connection with the Tattoo-Legenden exhibition for the museum shop and linked to Christian Warlich's activity as a tattoo artist and innkeeper in Hamburg-St. Pauli, where he served among other things Grog, a hot rum drink. The donations generated from the sale of the product help finance the institute's projects, in particular the realisation and printing of scholarly publications. The distribution of the book is handled through the shop and shipping structure of Warlich Rum, which — like the IDTG — emerged from the Nachlass Warlich research project. The institute's first edited volume is devoted to Ruth and Hans Ullrich, who decisively shaped the tattoo subculture of the 1940s and 1950s, and is based on previously unpublished sources including the Ullrich pattern album, personal correspondence and advertising material.

The Institut für deutsche Tattoo-Geschichte e.V. (IDTG) emerged in 2018 from the research project Nachlass Warlich, which since 2015 had been concerned with the scholarly reappraisal of objects, visual materials, written documents and the historical and contemporary reception of the Hamburg tattoo artist Christian Warlich (1891–1964). The founding of the IDTG fell during preparations for the exhibition Tattoo-Legenden. Christian Warlich auf St. Pauli at the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte (2019/20), in which the IDTG participated as a cooperation partner. In the course of this work it became apparent that tattoo-specific historical holdings in Germany had until then been systematically recorded, secured and scientifically examined only to a limited extent. Against this background the IDTG offers an institutional framework to systematically develop, contextualise and make available long-term tattoo-historical holdings. The Nachlass Warlich project forms the basis of the institute's work and serves as a model for further projects, for example on Horst Streckenbach or Ruth and Hans Ullrich. The IDTG is supported in part by donations from the sale of Warlich Rum, a product originally created in connection with the Tattoo-Legenden exhibition for the museum shop and linked to Christian Warlich's activity as a tattoo artist and innkeeper in Hamburg-St. Pauli, where he served among other things Grog, a hot rum drink. The donations generated from the sale of the product help finance the institute's projects, in particular the realisation and printing of scholarly publications. The distribution of the book is handled through the shop and shipping structure of Warlich Rum, which — like the IDTG — emerged from the Nachlass Warlich research project. The institute's first edited volume is devoted to Ruth and Hans Ullrich, who decisively shaped the tattoo subculture of the 1940s and 1950s. Based on previously unpublished sources — including the Ullrich pattern album, personal correspondence and advertising material — the book opens a window into a previously little-documented era of German tattoo history.

• 2019

  IDTG participates as a cooperation partner in the exhibition Tattoo-Legenden. Christian Warlich auf St. Pauli at the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte (2019/20).

• 2018

  Founding of the Institut für deutsche Tattoo-Geschichte e.V. (IDTG) out of the Nachlass Warlich project.

• 2015

  Start of the research project Nachlass Warlich, dedicated to the scholarly reappraisal of the Hamburg tattoo artist Christian Warlich (1891–1964).

• Publication of the IDTG's first edited volume on Ruth and Hans Ullrich, based on previously unpublished sources.

A non-profit, interdisciplinary research institute and forum for the scholarly reappraisal of German tattoo history, working with universities, museums, archives and collections.

• First edited volume on Ruth and Hans Ullrich

  The IDTG's first edited volume examines the lives and work of Ruth and Hans Ullrich, who decisively shaped the tattoo subculture of the 1940s and 1950s. It is based on previously unpublished sources including the Ullrich pattern album, personal correspondence and advertising material.

• Warlich Rum

  A rum product originally created in connection with the Tattoo-Legenden exhibition for the museum shop, linked to Christian Warlich's activity as a tattoo artist and innkeeper in Hamburg-St. Pauli. Donations from its sale help finance the institute's projects, and its shop and shipping structure handles distribution of the IDTG's book.

1. 1Institut für deutsche Tätowier-Geschichte e.V. – official websiteidtg-ev.de
2. 2Über Uns – Institut für deutsche Tätowier-Geschichte e.V.idtg-ev.de
3. 3Institut für deutsche Tattoo-Geschichte – Wikidatawikidata.org