Bismarck Tower (Bremerhaven)

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Bismarck Tower in Schiffdorf (1911)

The Bismarck Tower in Bremerhaven was a memorial for Otto von Bismarck in Schiffdorf near Bremerhaven. It was built in 1911 and blown up in 1966.

history

In autumn 1904, the German Federation initiated the association for the construction of a Bismarck tower for the Lower Weser towns . Because of the location on the Geest , he decided against Lehe and Speckenbüttel and for Schiffdorf. In an architectural competition at the beginning of 1906 , the jury decided on the (second) design by architects Bertram and Eits . As the amount of donations was too low, the association decided to dissolve it. The association's assets were transferred to the united warrior associations . As a comrades-in-arms club at the mouth of the Weser , they wanted to bring the tower project to a close. The architect George J. Dixen from Lehe provided a new design .

On May 7, 1911, the foundation stone was laid on the 1,000 m² building site in Schiffdorf. All of the military associations of the Lower Weser cities were among the 5,000 participants. The lack of funds was to be raised by holding a lottery of household items in May 1911. The Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen had approved it with the consent of the Upper President of the Province of Hanover . After four months of construction, the Bismarck Tower was inaugurated on September 3, 1911.

construction

The base of the 22.6 m high observation tower consisted of boulders . On each of the base sides of the entrance there was a perforated wall at the bottom, each ending at a pillar decorated with boulders. Another, slightly narrow, three-step staircase led to the square base with a porch covered with boulders. The mighty entrance gable above the portal bordered by two columns was crowned with a relief-like imperial crown with the inscription BISMARCK . The fire bowl on the top of the tower was fired with peat and kerosene . The square substructure could be reached on the front via a three-step staircase.

Communal ownership and decay

Geestemünde was granted city rights in 1913. In 1919 his mayor refused to take over the tower. On October 13, 1924, the building became the property of the new city of Wesermünde . At a meeting of the forbidden Red Front Fighters League at the Bismarck Tower, the Gauleiter Winter (KPD) called on February 13, 1933 to prevent a propaganda march by the Sturmabteilung . After 1945 they wanted to keep the dilapidated tower. A cost estimate of the renovation measures amounted to 200,000 German marks . Therefore, all parliamentary groups in Bremerhaven's city ​​council decided to demolish the tower. After the demolition on March 1, 1966, the rubble was removed without a trace. Only the memorial stone for Helmuth von Moltke the Elder is preserved. Ä.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Bismarck Tower in Bremerhaven (bismarcktuerme.de)
  2. ^ Message from Peter Raap

Coordinates: 53 ° 32 ′ 22.4 "  N , 8 ° 37 ′ 47.3"  E