1901 the inaugurated Bismarck national monument is a monumental monument of the first German realm Reich Otto von Bismarck in Berlin. The last large work of Reinhold Begas originally stood on the king place, which today's place of the republic, before which realm tag building became and 1938 transferred to the today's location at the large star. Still to a large extent received it documents the monument culture of the Wilhelminismus representatively of the disappeared victory avenue and of the emperor William national monument at the western lock place, cleared away up to the base.

Competition and order at Reinhold Begas

After a missed competition also over 90 participants the IITH sculptors Reinhold Begas very estimated of emperor Wilhelm received the order for the establishment of the Bismarck national monument on the eastern part of the king place. The 15 meters high, 20 meters broad and 12 meters deep monument plant, originally laterally set in of two semicircular Wasserbecken with jumping wells and to a triton and a Najadengruppe from sandstone of Ludwig Cauer, between 1897 and 1901 before the realm tag building one established. The solemn inauguration took place on 16 June 1901.

Description of the plant

The base from polished red granite carries the 6.6 meters high bronze figure Otto von Bismarcks in the uniform of the Krassiere, as it tended to appear in the old Reichstag. It holds the left hand around the grasp of the Pallaschs, the right hand rests firmly on the document of the establishment of realm. Uncompromising will power speaks from the strong attitude and the expression of the flashing eyes Griebens travel guide: Berlin and environment, Berlin 1909. without ISBN, page 100, as Griebens travel guide Berlin and environment writes 1909.

The base carries in front the simple inscription Bismarck, in the back the dedication for the first realm chancellor the German people 1901. At the right cheek of the base a bronze relief shows a young man with torch/flare and a young man with fanfare before the Herme of Bismarck, which decorate over it floating geniuses with flowers. On the relief of the left cheek an owl with feather/spring keel in the claws of Raben and crows becomes circles.

The four figures around the main base stand for the then Heroisierung Bismarck to a superhuman, which could not be illustrated no more by the main figure alone, but one described by further figures. Before the base kneel on the underbody an Atlas, carrying, Bismarck's titanium strength suggesting the world ball on the back to Hermann Mueller Bohn in front: The monuments of Berlin in word and picture, Berlin 1905. without ISBN, side 65f and a symbol of the earthre-clamping size of Bismarck. In the back kneel to Siegfried, (realm) - forging sword, with Bismarck of the realm of enemies defeated. On the right side of the underbody a Sibylle, also as Allegorie of the state wisdom interpreted, rides on which backs of a Sphinx, looking in the book of history, which holds it in their left hand as symbol of the mental meaning of Bismarck. On the left side of the underbody presses a female ruler shape with Zepter and crown, probably Germania or a Allegorie of the government authority, which leopards of the discord and the riot with the foot down, which unbezwingliche Kraft Bismarck symbolize. The leopard is an early work of August Gaul, a pupil Reinhold Begas.

At the two projections of the underbody three reliefs point the preparation on the front to the establishment of realm 1871. In the left relief such as Germany to run instructs the nut/mother learns a boy - supposed the German Michel - at the in the art of running. In the middle relief such as Germany awaked a woman shape wakes the German Michel sleeping with and slippers on a bear skin and points it to in the background lurking the army of the other peoples. The right relief Germany as young Herkules shows the German Michel in the victorious fight. On the back three further reliefs represent the completion of the Bismarck work. In the left relief Germania hurries triumphierend on the victory car home, a young man storms with the glad message in front. The middle relief shows throne-ends Germania, which sits down flanked from Allegorien of the work and the art the emperor crown on the head. In the last relief Germania finally climbs down from the Quadriga and brings to the people the Segnungen of the peace.

After the list of the monument critics criticized above all the accompanying figures and the bronze reliefs and their artistic quality in addition, the disproportion of the figures among themselves. The probably rather reserved travel guide Baedeker Berlin and environment calls it in the expenditure implemented of 1921 less understandable, contentwise partially insignificantly and sketchily.

Shift to the large star for the world capital Germania

Because of the North-South axis for the world capital Germania, planned by Albert Speer, became the Bismarck national monument 1938 together with the victory column, which shifts figures of the victory avenue and the monuments of Albrecht of Roon and Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke to the northern side of the large star. After planning a forum of the second realm should develop here, thus the empire of 1871.

During the relist the distance of the Nebenfiguren from the Hauptpostament was reduced by approximately a meter and the number of the stages of the underbody of seven to three was reduced. This strengthened the disproportion of the individual figures among themselves and the total effect of the monument again.

Post-war period

With the restoration of the monument in the years 1958 to 1960 the six bronze reliefs of the underbody were removed and again not attached, the whereabouts are not from the citizen of Berlin office for national monument do not admit written information citizens of Berlin of the office for national monument. They are replaced by neutral plates from red granite. The Bismarck national monument stands under monument protection.

See also

Bismarck monument

Literature and sources

• Peter Bloch (publisher): Ethos and pathos: the citizens of Berlin sculptor school 1786 - 1914, part: Contributions with Kurzbiographien citizen of Berlin sculptor, brothers man publishing house, Berlin 1990. ISBN 3-7861-1598-2, side 200f

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