Early Life and Artistic Training
Born in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany, Albert Reich was the son of a shoemaker. His formal artistic journey began at the Academy of Fine Arts of Nuremberg, from which he graduated in 1898. His education continued at the Academy of Fine Arts of Munich, where he studied under instructors such as Johann Caspar Herterich, Heinrich von Zügel, and Peter Halm.
In the early years of the 20th century, Reich's professional path included working as an illustrator for the publisher Michael Laßleben. He later became the head of the school of Melchior Kern, focusing on the technique of plein air painting. In 1912, he married his student, Elisabeth Anna Karla Martha Sellschopp, with whom he produced various albums.
War and Political Involvement
During the First World War, Reich served as a war painter for the Alpenkorps, accompanying the unit through the Balkans Theatre, the Eastern Front in Romania, the Italian Front, and the Western Front. His wartime albums presented an idealized and heroic depiction of the conflict.
Following the war, Reich became an active member of the Nazi Party. His contributions to the movement included:
In 1942, he was appointed to the Amt Rosenberg. He died in Munich in 1942 and is buried in the Munich Waldfriedhof.
