Salomo Sachs occupied a singular position within the Prussian civil service during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. As one of the few men who did not renounce his Jewish faith to serve the state, he navigated a complex career as a royal building inspector, architect, mathematician, and teacher of machine drawings in Berlin.
Early Career and Training
Born in Berlin on 22 December 1772, Sachs was the son of a lottery collector. He received his formal education at the Royal Academy of Arts between 1790 and 1792. Shortly thereafter, he took his oath of office at the Oberhofbauamt under the supervision of Friedrich Becherer. His early professional promise was evidenced by his unofficial designs for the portals of the city bailiwick at Molkenmarkt, which earned him his initial public recognition.
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Sachs climbed the administrative ladder of the Prussian building bureaucracy, receiving a patent as Ober-Hof-Bau-Conducteur in 1794 and an appointment as Ober-Hof-Bau-Inspector in 1799. Beyond his administrative duties, which included overseeing the building police and chairing the examination commission for master builders, he contributed to the Berlin Academy exhibitions. His submissions ranged from churches and prisons to mortuaries, such as his 1798 proposal for the Society of Friends.
Academic Contributions and Legacy
Beginning in 1799, Sachs served as a teacher of architectural and machine drawing at the Bauakademie, an institution established by King Frederick William III. He was a prolific writer, authoring textbooks and technical non-fiction, including a 1827 work dedicated to his mentor Johann Albert Eytelwein. He remained an active participant in Berlin’s intellectual and professional life until his death on 14 May 1855.
Fast facts
- Born: 22 December 1772, Berlin
- Died: 14 May 1855, Berlin
- Primary Occupations: Architect, astronomer, civil servant, mathematician
- Spouse: Henriette Isser
- Son: Albert Sachs
- Key Appointment: Ober-Hof-Bau-Inspector
Questions readers ask
Was Salomo Sachs a practicing architect?
Yes. He designed various structures and facades, including work for the city bailiwick and proposals for churches and mortuaries.
Did his religious background affect his career?
He was notable for being one of the only men in the Prussian civil service at the time who did not renounce his Jewish faith.
