curriculum vitae  texts   curriculum vitae 1919 Born in Augsburg father: bookkeeper Josef Lettl mother: Maria Lettl neé Buchegger 1926 - 38 Primary school, high school, abitur 1939 - 45 Military service 1940 - 43 Communications Officer in Paris; first exposure to surreal art; paints watercolours of Parisian scenery in his spare time. 1944 - 45 Reconnaissance airman in Norway spent four months in captivity after end of the war. 1945 - 48 Freelance painter in Augsburg first experiments in surrealist painting 1948 The Currency reform made it necessary to earn a living in construction work and other jobs in addition to painting landscapes, portraits and continuing to develop his experiments in surrealist painting. 1949 Marries Franziska Link since 1954 Independent painter. Receives commissions for murals, sgraffiti, mosaics, stained glass windows, portraits. Develops a personal surrealist style. since 1963 Participates in the "Große Kunstausstellung München". Member of the "New Munich Artists’ Cooperative". Numerous solo shows. since 1975 Establishes a second residence in Puglia (Italy). Inspired by the southern light he occasionally creates impressionistic paintings. 1986 - 90 Design of the title pages for the book supplements for the newspaper "Die Welt" ("The World") 1992 On the occasion of a retrospective exhibition at the Toskan Hall of Columns, he offered his paintings to the city of Augsburg on a permanent loan basis. Creation "The Organization for the Promotion of Surreal Art", its main aims being the presentation of Lettl´s art in Augsburg as well as making it accessible to the public. since 1993 Official opening of the "Lettl-Atrium, Museum for Surreal Art", in the Augsburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce. 1994 For the 75th birthday, the premiere of the play "The Board" for the picture series "Nachträume" (a play on words, which could be either "after-dreams" or "night-rooms") was presented. 1998 - 99 Participates in four surrealist short films : "The Mad Lemon", "Riegele", "SUB", "The Operation" 1999 Exhibition of his aquatint etchings 2000 Major Retrospective in Augsburg: "Lettl - 80 Years" In connection with this exhibition five multimedia students from the Technical University create, produce and present the project "Lettl in Motion" for the city of Augsburg. 2002 Opening of the Lettl Museum in Lindau 2004 To mark his 85th birthday, the multimedia project "Doors" is produced. 2008 Lettl dies surrounded by his paintings.