Austrian monuments (Leipzig)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Austrians Memorial in Holzhausen

The Austrian monuments in Leipzig are four, except for the inscriptions, identical monuments that commemorate the successful participation of Austrian troops in the Battle of Leipzig . Another former was in Markkleeberg .

shape

An obelisk-like limestone structure rises on a granite base resting on a concrete foundation . This bears a bronze plaque on the front with the names of the military units and the commanders as well as a memorial for the fallen fighters. Wreaths and corner garlands made of bronze adorn the sides.

On the square end plate at a height of about four meters, on a sword, is the bronze double-headed eagle with outspread wings and the crowns of the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy . The eagle's gaze is directed towards the enemy, i.e. towards the city occupied by the French in general. The year 1813 and the days of the fighting are still marked on the obelisk.

Locations and inscriptions

Austrian monument Lößnig.jpg
The monument in Loessnig
Austrian monument Paunsdorf.jpg
The monument in Paunsdorf
Austrian monument Kleinzschocher.jpg
The monument in Kleinzschocher


  • Lößnig : Rembrandtplatz east side (until 1950 Merveldtplatz), map
General of the Cavalry | Friedrich Hereditary Prince of Hesse-Homburg | Oesterr. Reserve Corps | 1st Corps: Feldzeugmeister Grf. Colloredo | 2nd Corps: General of the Cav. Frh. V. Merveldt |
- In memory of those in the battles for | Connewitz , Lößnig, Dölitz and Dosen | fallen heroes.
  • Paunsdorf : Theodor-Heuss-Straße, next to the Galilee Church, map
Austrian | second light division | Field Marshal Lieutenant Count Bubna |
- The memory of those in the | Fight for Paunsdorf and Mölkau | fallen heroes.
Oesterr. 3rd Corps | Feldzeugmeister Count Gyulai | 1st Light Division Field Marshal Lieutenant | Prince Moritz Liechtenstein | Detachment Oberstlt. Early Simbian |
- In memory of those in the battles | near Lindenau , Zschocher u. Schleussig | fallen heroes.
The replacement stone in Wachau
  • Holzhausen : road fork Seifertshainer / Kleinpösnaer Strasse map
Oesterr. fourth corps | General of the Kav. Count Klenau |
- The memory of those in the | Fight for Liebertwolkwitz , Kolmberg, | Seifertshain , Holzhausen u. Zuckelhausen | fallen heroes.
  • Markkleeberg : Intersection of the Markkleeberg-Ost-Auenhain and Crostewitz-Wachau roads (former site that fell victim to the Espenhain open-cast lignite mine, now in the Markkleeberger See) map , small replacement stone with writing board in the former Gut Wachau map
Oestr. Res. Corps | Div: Nostiz, Weißenwolf | and Bianchi |
- In memory of the | in the fighting at | Cröbern , Markkleeberg and | Alluvial grove fallen heroes.

history

The initiative to erect the memorials came from Saxony and not from Austria. Pastor Hans Krieger in Eschefeld, a village that is now part of Frohburg , made several requests to the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I in preparation for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Nations , pointing out that Austria, alongside Prussia and Russia, had the main share in victory, but also in sacrifices. His last letter was a success, and Franz Joseph had a memorial draft presented to him within 48 hours.

The memorials were made in Austria and, from the end of August 1913, their installation in Leipzig on land made available free of charge was organized under the direction of city planner Otto Wilhelm Scharenberg . On the anniversary of the Battle of Nations, however, only the monuments in Lößnig and Markkleeberg could be inaugurated. The others followed on December 2, 1913, the day of the 65-year reign of Emperor Franz Joseph.

The bronze plate at the Markkleeberg monument was stolen in 1922, after which the remaining bronze parts were dismantled. In the 1970s, the monument was removed by lignite mining. A small memorial stone in Wachau bears the former inscription.

The memorials survived the Second World War unscathed and did not fall victim to the bronze donation caused by the war. After 1990, the damage that had occurred over time was repaired, so that the four remaining monuments largely retain their original appearance.

literature

  • Markus Cottin, Gina Klank, Karl-Heinz Kretzschmar, Dieter Kürschner, Ilona Petzold: Leipzig monuments . Sax-Verlag Beucha Volume 1, 1998, ISBN 3-930076-71-3 , pp. 152-157, Volume 2, 2009, ISBN 978-3-86729-036-4 , p. 114
  • Reinhard Münch: Landmarks and monuments of the Battle of Nations in and around Leipzig , Verlag Dr. Barthel, Panitzsch 1999, ISBN 978-3910188280

Web links