Hans Knorr (1915 – 1988)

Hans was trained as a cabinet maker in Germany. Following internment in Victoria during world War II, he married author Hilde Dent in 1948, decided to remain in Australia and earned international acclaim as a sculptor.

In 1978 Hans and Hilde moved to Myrtleford. Although his work is on display in many sites throughout Australia and overseas he is mainly remembered in the local area for “The Phoenix Tree”. This huge sculpture, carved from an enormous tree stump was commissioned by the Myrtleford Chamber of Commerce and takes pride of place in the median strip of the Great Alpine road close to the town centre. It was unveiled in 1986 after three years of intensely physical work.