ADLER, George Arthur (Georg)

Architect

Dip Ing (Stuttgart); Spec. Qual. Exam. (Cape Town)

CPIA (1939); ISAA (1939).

Was born in Stettin in Germany, son of Dr Eugene and Francisca Adler. He trained at the Technische Hochschule in Stuttgart from about 1927 to 1930, qualifying with a diploma in Engineering in 1930. He continued at the Hochschule, an assistant to Professor Hugo Keuerleber and lectured on building materials from January 1931 until May 1933. A 1933 testimonial written for Adler by Professor Paul Bonatz (Stuttgart) translates: 'An extraordinary able young architect, with a great artistic talent, rich technical experience; he is very conscientious and gifted with a quick eye. I also greatly appreciate his human qualities.' In 1936 Adler left Germany and came to South Africa, possibly to escape the persecution of the Jews then prevalent in Europe. He joined the office of JONES & McWILLIAMS in Port Elizabeth, leaving in 1937 as there was little work and seems to have furthered his architectural studies at the University of Cape Town School of Architecture. In 1938 he sat the special qualifying examination in Cape Town and set up practice on his own account in Port Elizabeth where he remained for the rest of his career. He did active service in the Second World War as member of the SA Engineers Corps, where he was captured and taken prisoner-of-war in the North African campaign (1942-1944). Through the efforts of the Red Cross he was released in a prisoner exchange and invalided out of the army. In Port Elizabeth he served the Jewish community as member of the Progressive Jewish congregation, member of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies and Committee Member of the Jewish SA Ex-Service League. Through his interests and abilities in the theatre and the arts he served as Vice-President of the Eastern Province Society for Arts and Crafts and was member of the Wedgewood Club. Latterly he was in partnership with LA JONES (GA ADLER & JONES) where, in 1969 he his still recorded.

List of projects

With photographs
With notes

House Lipschitz: 1946. Summerstrand, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape - Architect

Temple Israel: 1955. Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape - Architect

Books citing ADLER

Feldberg, Leon. 1968. South African Jewry : A Survey of the Jewish Community; Its Contribution to South Africa; Directory of Communal Institutions; and a Who's Who of Leading Personalities. Johannesburg: Fielding Publishing. pp 160

ISAA. 1959. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1958-1959 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1958-1959. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 87, 205

ISAA. 1969. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1968-1969 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1968-1969. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 88, 135