The architect Egon Eiermann liked to provide total solutions. His contributions to post-war Modernism in Germany include the rebuild of Berlin's Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church) and Bonn's Abgeordnetenhochhaus (high-rise for parliamentarians). Eiermann the perfectionist often conceived his furniture as an integral part of an architectural project. A holistic approach was one thing he shared with his Danish
contemporary, Arne Jacobsen. Another was a preference for plywood – although Eiermann actually experimented with this material a little earlier, following in the footsteps of designers like Josef Albers or Alvar Aalto. In any case, moulded plywood unleashed a revolution in chair design, and Eiermann played a much bigger role than many realize, given his relative unfamiliarity today. Most of his plywood seating came out immediately after 1950 as Germany endeavoured to make a fresh start in the wake of the country's collapse. As the “Economic Miracle” then took off, Eiermann’s seats became a regular feature of public spaces, especially models SE41, SE42, SE68 and SE18 (all from Wilde + Spieth). Marking a clear break with the aesthetics of the Nazi dictatorship, these modern, unsentimental fixtures contributed to the young democracy’s search for a new identity to an extent that should not be underestimated.