Haven't looked anything up so this is going to be miles out. Right. ICA and it was Oscar Wilde but he was in Reading nick. (I'll avoid the obvious crudity, there).
NZ is correct about WW1, but hasn't quite given the answer I was looking for. AK is correct with Bauhaus, but has not given any answer to the second part of the question. So in time honoured fashion a tie breaker: why, precisely, was the director not able to take up his post and who was he.
Somewhat reminiscent of my batting career, Fez, wild swings sometimes going for six, but I was generally caught, often bowled, sometimes both.
Henry van de Velde was the director and he was not allowed to remain in Germany as he was Belgian (though lots of Germans were staying in Belgium!)
You're too clever by half NZ, but alas you are incorrect (if that makes sense????).... Henry van der Velde was already director of one of the schools and he appointed the chap who could not take up the post as head of the amalgamated "schools" until 1919.
All right. I looked this up. It was Walter Gropius, who was a German in Belgium and France until 1919.
Well it was WW1 and he was in the Wehrmacht. Gropus, de Stijl and Mies van Der Rohe were the giants of the Modernist movement. Ironically there are no famous pupils from the Bauhaus. The rise of the Nazis and WW2 probably had everything to do with that sad fact. Over to you NZ
Is it Louis Mountbatten's dad, Prince Louis of Battenberg, a German prince? This because people felt awkward to be in a war with Germany and have the First Sea Lord's nickname be 'Fritz'?
At least Battenberg didn't resign because he was a fruitcake... Time for reclaiming the coat, I think
Left-field, Anya-style punt at Charles Davis Lucas. He died about 10 days after start of war and was Victorian admiral.
