83 2 u Modell der Gartenstadt Hellerau, präsentiert auf den Internationalen StädtebauAusstellungen 1910 in Berlin und London. u Scale model of Hellerau Garden City. Presented at international urban planning exhibitions in Berlin and London, 1910. Community),5 were among the founders of the Deutsche Gartenstadtgesellschaft (German Garden City Society) in Berlin in 1902.6 Following the English model, the German Garden City Movement emerged from the Lebensreform movement, adapted and enriched by it. The most significant testimony to this is Hellerau. In no other foundation of a German garden city were the requirements for a garden city based on the English concept fulfilled to such an extent as they were here. All essential functions of a formally independent garden city were fulfilled – and still are today – through the variety of residential areas, production sites, supply and cultural facilities and the surrounding green belt. A non-profit organisational form was there from the very start. But above and beyond all that, Hellerau actually testifies to an even broader coverage of the garden city agenda than ever achieved in the English garden cities and their prototype, Letchworth.7 No other settlement bears testimony to the Lebensreform ideas of the early 20th century in quite such a versatile way as Hellerau does.8 Testimony to the transfer of ideas in architecture and urban planning between England and Germany In his book To-morrow: a Peaceful Path to Real Reform,9 published in 1898, Howard described an approach to social reform, and illustrated his concept with diagrams. However, these did not show any actual building plans, leaving the question open as to the particular ideals of urban planning and architecture that were to be applied in the actual creation of garden cities. This was entirely in line with Howard’s vision, namely that each garden city concept would be adapted to its specific local conditions. It was particularly the garden cities founded before the First World War in England, like Letchworth (1903) and Hampstead Garden Suburb (1906) – but also Hellerau Garden City in Germany – that would be decisive for the establishment of the garden city idea. They all testify to just how strongly this phase was influenced by a mutual exchange of ideas
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