BUSCH, Johann Joachim - b. 1720 Schwerin, d. 1802 Plau am See

German architect and sculptor. He came from a craftsman’s family and entered the service of the Duke of Mecklenburg in 1748, where he worked under the French court architect Jean Laurent Legeay (c. 1710-1790). Little is known about his education, but he was able to gain an insight into the architecture of the eighteenth century, including the extensive library of his later client, Herzog Friedrich. In 1758 Busch was appointed court architect. In 1779, Busch was given the title of Court Director, and in 1796 he was retired with the title Oberhofbaurat and moved to relatives in Plau am See.

The ensemble of the Ludwigslust residence, the city church from 1765 to 1770, the Ludwigslust palace from 1772 to 1776, and various citizens’ and officials’ houses, was created after a design by Busch. The Neustadtische Palais as well as the Neue Gebäude (also known as the column building) in Schwerin can be traced back to Busch.

Exterior view

Enlightened princes such as the grand dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who commissioned an ideal ducal seat and town from the architect Johann Joachim Busch at Ludwigslust, encouraged the use of different styles and allowed stylistic experiments. The idiosyncratic fa�ade of the Protestant church in Ludwigslust can only be described as such an experiment. The portico juts out excessively, the six Tuscan columns are widely spaced and carry an architrave, pediment and pedestal-like superstructure - all of which is the introduction to a perfectly conventional hall interior.