Emil Maetzel born in Cuxhaven and educated in Hamburg. 1896-1900 he studied architecture in Hannover and Dresden, then he went to Paris. In 1907 Maetzel became Head of Urban Development department in the Hamburg Baudeputation and thus a close collaborator of the upper building director Fritz Schumacher. Until his forced retirement in 1933, heworked in this office.

Maetzel married the painter Dorothea Johannsen in 1910 and together they built a collection of African sculpture and South Sea art. In his spare time Maetzel also works artistically, producing mainly graphic works, as well as paintings. His works show strong expressionist forms and influences of Schmidt-Rottluff. As a member and ch...