Germania Monument (Ruhland)

Brauhausplatz around 1900

The Germania monument in Ruhland is between Kirchplatz and Bahnhofstrasse. Built in 1875 with a list of the Ruhlanders who fell in 1866 and 1870/1871, after 1945 the inscription on the base: “The dead of the two world wars urge peace” was added. The building is recorded in the local register of monuments under registration number 09120359 .

history

View from Bahnhofstrasse

Germania statue with palm fronds and spade

The Germania Memorial in Ruhland was built in 1875, originally on the Ruhlander Brauhausplatz with a view to the northeast, and inaugurated in October. It served to commemorate the citizens of Ruhland who died in the German War (1866) and in the Franco-German War (1870/71). Nothing is known about the design of the statue, it was probably made in the Lauchhammer art foundry. In 1939 the monument was moved to its current location between Kirchplatz and Bahnhofstraße for traffic reasons.

After 1945 the base inscription: “The dead of the two world wars call for peace” was added.

The local stonemason company Menzel renovated the gilding of the statue around 1987 and the column including plinth and capital at the beginning of 2000.

location

The memorial stands near the Evangelical City Church on the edge of the church square without direct access from there in a small green area between the residential buildings at Bahnhofstrasse 2 and 3. Access is from Bahnhofstrasse across from House 21.

layout

The Germania statue with a spade and palm fronds stands on a pillar - strong symbols of peace already at the inauguration in 1875. The statue is oriented to the south-west, the face to the west. The column stands on a stepped pedestal and base. Despite the naming of 10 dead with rank, place of death and year of death, this was more a peace memorial than a war memorial even then.

The following Ruhlandans who fell in 1866 and 1870/1871 are named (sorted according to date of death on the base inscriptions):

Rank	Surname	First name	Date of death & place
Reel	BIELIG	G.	September 11, 1870 in Joinville
grenadier	EHRENTRAUT	CG	August 6th, 1870 near Wörth
musketeer	HÄNICH	CT	August 25th, 1870 near Wörth
Military man	LEPSKY	A.	02/09/1871 at Sedan
Fusilier	RENT	Fr.	October 21, 1870 at Malmaison
Guard Gren.	NOTHING	FA	December 13, 1870 in Görlitz
Artilleryman	RUHLAND	IT	September 19, 1866 in Glogau
Private	SCHULZE	G. Ed.	August 6th, 1870 near Wörth
Private	TAMM	G. Ed.	September 1st, 1870 at Sedan
Private	TIETZE	IG	09/14/1870 b. Pont a Mousson

The north side of the base (the back facing the church) bears the inscription

THE MEMORY her in the years 1866 and 1870-71 fallen in battle for their country, as well as of returned warriors in grateful remembrance dedicated to the parish Ruhland, 1875

On the south side (front) there is the inscription on the base: “The dead of the two world wars urge peace”, which reinforces the warning character and includes the memory of the victims of the Second World War without naming them.

Base from the front (south side)
East side plinth: 5 dead in 1866 and 1870
Base with west side: 5 fallen soldiers 1870–1871
Pedestal from the church square (north side, back of the statue)