Hildegard Schirmacher (born Ernst Schirmacher; 31 August 1924 â 7 March 2015) was a German architect and preservationist, performing pioneering work in historic preservation and building conservation focused on half-timbered structures, particularly in the old town of Limburg which became a model for other towns.
Ernst Schirmacher was born in Limburg on 31 August 1924. After studies of architecture at the Technische Hochschule Darmstadt until 1951, the young architect worked for the Stadtbauamt of Frankfurt, for example planning the in the Nordend. A dissertation about the development of the medieval town Limburg led to achieving a PhD in 1961. The dissertation is still regarded as a standard work on the topic. From 1963 Schirmacher worked as an independent architect; the first project was a hospital for 500 patients in Euskirchen.
In 1967 Schirmacher participated in the restoration of the old town of Bebra, and introduced a systematic catalogue of historic buildings in the old town of Limburg, which became the basis for the restoration there. In 1968 Schirmacher was appointed the leading architect of the restoration of Limburg. The restoration of the old town, performed together with Franz Josef Hamm and , became a model for such projects in Germany for decades. Restoration sites were also in Hachenburg, Montabaur , Camberg, Idstein, Bad Homburg and Aschaffenburg.
In 1973 Schirmacher bought the building of the former Scholasterei at the Limburg Cathedral to be used as a family home and architect's firm, restoring the house over the following years. Schirmacher was also active in debates around town developement and monument conservation in Limburg, the founder of the Förderverein Limburger Schloss association and president and long-time member of the town's Denkmalbeirat.
Schirmacher led the restoration of the Ostzeile of the Frankfurt Römerberg from 1981 bis 1983, after designs by the Berlin firm . In 1988 Schirmacher was a founding member of the Hessische Akademie der Forschung und Planung im ländlichen Raum.
Schirmacher was married to Charlotte Gräf from 1952; the couple lived in the former Scholasterei and had a son, Matthias. Charlotte Graf died in 1987.
In 1997 Schirmacher adopted the given name Hildegard, in reference to Hildegard of Bingen, and lived as a woman. In 2012 she fell at the Cathedral stairs which led to head injuries. She moved to a nursing home. Her son and his family moved into her residence.
Schirmacher died in Limburg on 7 March 2015 She left a collection of photographs, designs and manuscripts, documenting the history of buildings in Limburg, to the Stadtarchive Limburg. In 2019 the city of Limburg decided to name a square at the after her. The ceremony took place on the fifth anniversary of her death.