Existing situation
The media were invited to attend a first discussion about the Paul Klee Museum project last September. The occasion for this event was provided by two agreements which for the first time made the creation of a Klee Museum possible. In the agreement of 14 May 1997, Livia Klee-Meyer generously donated her share of the estate of Klee’s son, Felix, to the City and Canton of Bern. In a subsequent agreement of 3 July 1997, the Governing Council of Bern Canton, the Town Council and Civic Council of Bern City expressed their intention of jointly organizing the construction and operation of the future museum. The “Progr” building between the Speichergasse and Hodlerstrasse was proposed at the time as the museum site.
 
The idea of building a Klee Museum received a broadly favourable welcome, but the site question soon proved controversial. While some were easily able to envisage the former “Progr” as a museum – not least because of its large internal courtyard – others felt that this historical building was inappropriate for a major exponent of the classical modern style. Thereafter the City, Canton and Civic Community signified their willingness to extend the planning perimeter to include the land area lying between the Schützenmatte and the lower Waisenhaus Square. The Metron Company was commissioned to make a feasibility study of several sites in this area. The final report on its work is expected in August/September 1998.
 
A new dimension
The site question recently took on a new dimension when Prof. Müller and his wife offered to make a donation to the Overall Project Committee. Maurice E. Müller was the incumbent of the Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at Bern University between 1963 and 1980 and also Director of the Clinic for Orthopaedic Surgery at the Island Hospital. He pioneered the development of artificial hips and played a significant role in their industrial manufacture. Prof. Müller has repeatedly acted as a patron: in Bern, Basel, the USA and Canada, he has set up several professorial chairs and established medical research institutes.
 
The Müller donation offer
Following the first informal contacts, a discussion took place last week between the Müllers and the Gesamtprojektausschuss Klee of the Paul Klee Museum. Prof. Müller and his wife took the opportunity to state their wish to donate a site and a cash payment of 30 million Swiss francs at least in order to make their vision of a Klee Museum reality. They also offered to pay half the running cost of the new museum for the first ten years. The site under discussion is situated in the Schöngrün district and was originally earmarked for a residential and cultural centre. The Müllers consider that a foundation under private law would be the appropriate body to take charge of construction of the Schöngrün Museum. Not least for time reasons, instead of holding a competition, they would prefer to commission a prestigious international architect directly.
 
In the meantime the Müllers have already submitted a written declaration of intent. The Gesamtprojektausschuss Klee wishes to take this letter as an occasion to extend its cordial thanks to Mr Maurice Müller and Mrs Martha Müller for their generous offer.
 
Prior to this discussion last week, the municipal administration acting on a proposal by the Mayor of Bern, Dr Klaus Baumgartner, arranged for the feasibility of this project to be clarified in terms of planning and the time horizon. This verification showed that the situation created by existing obligations on the Schöngrün site and the question of development might endanger the timeframe stipulated in the agreement with Livia Klee-Meyer. The Gesamtprojektausschuss Klee for the Paul Klee Museum therefore made a counter-proposal to the Müllers, suggesting that the municipal land adjoining the Schöngrün site should also be taken into consideration. Existing obligations already exist on this land too, but initial evaluations by the municipal administration show that they are easier to solve than those which would have to be respected on the Schöngrün site to which consideration had already been given.
 
Further procedure
The impressive offer by the Müllers now adds a further dimension to the current planning work. So far, the emphasis has been on three aspects: the time factor, a central situation and proximity to the Art Museum. As stated previously, the time limits to be respected are stipulated in the agreement with Livia Klee-Meyer. The Gesamtprojektausschuss Klee will now have to determine which site is the most appropriate for the Klee Museum. In taking this decision, the proposed close cooperation between the Art Museum and the future Klee Museum will continue to be an important yardstick, as will the cooperation desired by the municipality and canton with the Interest Grouping for a Museum of Contemporary Art.
 
Until the site decision is taken in the autumn, all the options which have already been discussed, and those which have been newly added, will be pursued in parallel.
 
The Gesamtprojektausschuss Klee for the Paul Klee Museum consists of

• Cantonal Councillor, Dr Hans Lauri.
• Mayor of Bern, Dr Klaus Baumgartner.
• President of the Civic Community, Dr Kurt Hauri.