Known for his sleek, award-winning Space Age lighting, Rolf Krüger was an influential and important contributor to the advancement of German mid-century modern furniture design during the 1960s and 1970s.
Born in Hamburg in 1939, Krüger grew up in the maritime city of Husum, located near the German-Danish border. In 1959, he studied free and applied arts at the Heinrich Zernack School in Berlin before attending the Meisterschule für das Kunsthandwerk (now the Universität der Künste Berlin) from 1960 to 1964. There, he studied product design, painting, photography and commercial graphics and graduated with a diploma in design.
From 1964 to 1982, Krüger worked for several German lighting and furniture design firms, creating metal, glass and concrete products. For manufacturer Staff Leuchten, he designed bubble glass pendants (created with Japanese lighting designer Motoko Ishii), tube decorative wall lamps and the iconic Cross Oyster flush mount ceiling light, which was displayed in the exhibition stand of Mercedes-Benz at the 1970 Geneva International Motor Show. In 1968, Krüger collaborated with German industrial designer Dieter Witte to create a large wall panel version of the Cross Oyster light for Staff Leuchten.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Krüger worked with lighting manufacturer Heinz Neuhaus Leuchten to create several popular pieces like his cubic wall lights and brass tubular desk lamps. For furniture maker Paul Neuhaus Leuchten, Krüger designed his elegant, modernist double wall sconces.
Throughout his design career, Krüger has received more than 30 awards, including multiple iF Design awards. His lighting pieces are in the collections of the Landesmuseen Schleswig-Holstein, the Museum Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf, the Design Museum in Munich and the Kunstgewerbemuseum of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Rolf Krüger lighting.
Artemide Megaron Parete – Pair of Wall Lamps by Gianfranco Frattini, 1970
By Artemide, Gian Franco Frattini
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
With this original pair of Artemide Megaron Parete wall lights, you acquire two of the most elegant Italian designer wall lamps from the late 1970s. Designed by Gianfranco Frattini f...
Metal
Oyster Wall Lamp by Klaus Link for Heinz Neuhaus, 1970
By Heinz Neuhaus Leuchten
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
An extraordinary Oyster wall lamp in the style of the Space Age. The lamp is in very good condition. The white painted metal frame shows almost no signs of wear. The front metal fram...
Metal
Hillebrand Space Age Table Lamp 7603 by Heinz F.W. Stahl, 1970
By Hillebrand
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
This original table lamp from Hillebrand Leuchten embodies the clear, timeless design language of German Space Age design from the 1970s. With its distinctive, gently curved black-br...
Metal
KFF Trix Memphis set of two dining chairs by Karl Friedrich Förster, 1988
By Karl Friedrich Förster, KFF
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
A Memphis-style Trix set features a black metal frame and a black plywood seat and backrest. The frame is in good condition with light signs of wear, and the wood surfaces display a ...
Metal
Brakelmann & Becker 1970 Brutalist Wall Lamp, Ceramic & Slate, Germany
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
This extraordinary wall lamp is a typical example of the Brutalist style, which Brakelmann & Becker celebrated in several variations. The lamp is in excellent, undamaged conditio...
Slate
Sculptural Bronze Candle Holder by Benno Meyer, Early Modernism, 1930
By Benno Meyer
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
This exceptional candle holder combines functionality with artistic expressiveness and exemplifies the formal understanding of early modernism. Designed in 1930 by Benno Meyer, the o...
Bronze
Set of 2 Cubic Wall Lights Dieter Witte, Rolf Krüger for STAFF Leuchten, 1970s
By Staff Leuchten, Rolf Krüger, Dieter Witte
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Set of two cubic wall lights Producer: Staff Leuchten, Germany Age: 1970s Set of 2 original, 1970s German modernist wall Lights made of solid metal with an indirec...
Metal
"2031" Lamps by Rolf Krüger for Staff Leuchten, Germany 2nd half of the 20th C
By Dieter Witte, Staff Leuchten, Rolf Krüger
Located in Utrecht, NL
This striking pair of wall lamps, designed by Rolf Krüger and Dieter Witte, highlights the refined innovation of 20th century German design. Crafted in lacquered aluminium, each lamp...
Aluminum
Dieter Witte -Staff Leuchten - Germany 1960
By Rolf Krüger, Dieter Witte, Staff Leuchten
Located in The Hague, NL
Beautiful, sculptural wall lights by designer Dieter Witte. Staff Leuchten, Germany, was the manufacturer of these smooth designed lamps. The colors are warm deep brown and white at ...
Metal
Mid-century Modern Pair of Sconces by Cosack Leuchten, 1950s, Germany
By Cosack Leuchten
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Mid-century Modern Pair of Sconces by Cosack Leuchten, 1950s, Germany Very elegant and Minimalist Black wall lamps Lamp is in very good condit...
Metal, Brass
Pair of Evert Jelle Jelles 'Sterren Regen' Wall Lights, 1960
By Evert Jelle Jelles, RAAK
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of unique "Sternenregen" perforated metal wall lights by Evert Jelle Jelles for Raak Amsterdam, in powder coated metal, wired for US standards, two E27 socket per fixture, max. ...
Metal, Aluminum
Pair of Kuta wall lamps by Vico Magistretti for O-Luce, 1980s
By O-Luce, Vico Magistretti
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Pair of Kuta wall lamps by Vico Magistretti for O-Luce, designed in the 1970s and manufactured in the 1980s. The lamp is designed for indirect lighting. It consists of a white-paint...
Metal
