Equestrian statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III.

Equestrian statue in the middle of the pleasure garden, behind it the Old Museum

The equestrian statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III. in the Berlin Lustgarten commemorated the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III. and was one of the main works of the Berlin School of Sculpture . Erected in the years 1863–1876 by Albert Wolff in the classicism and neo-baroque styles , it was moved from the center of the square to the western edge when the Lustgarten was redesigned in 1936. After the damage in the Second World War , the equestrian statue was destroyed in the GDR era, except for individual figures that are now set up in various places in the city.

Planning and construction

Equestrian statue in the middle of the pleasure garden, behind the castle

The planning of the equestrian statue began under Friedrich Wilhelm IV. In 1855, Christian Daniel Rauch created a model that served as a model for later designs. However, due to the king's illness and the sculptor's death, the project was interrupted. Only after Wilhelm I came to power could it be continued and a competition was announced, in which the sculptor Albert Wolff sent in two alternative designs. He won the competition, but had to send in another design, which the King approved for execution in 1862.

The construction of the monument began on March 17, 1863 with the laying of the foundation stone in the middle of the Berlin pleasure garden . By spring 1869, the equestrian figure of Friedrich Wilhelm III. modeled and unveiled on June 16, 1871. Between autumn 1873 and 1875, Wolff created the base figures Klio, Borussia, Religion, Legislation, Art and Science. Except for the Rhine and Memel, which were made in the ore foundry in Munich , all bronze figures came from the Lauchhammer art foundry . They were unveiled on September 2, 1876.

Description and history

Equestrian statue on the western edge of the pleasure garden, behind the cathedral

The upper part of the monument consisted of a 5.80 meter high equestrian figure based on Rauch's model. It showed “Friedrich Wilhelm III. on a striding horse with his right hand outstretched in blessing, in a general's uniform with a coat around his shoulders. On his head he wore the general hat adorned with the plume ”.

The lower part consisted of a 6.60 meter high bronze plinth resting on a six-tier marble substructure. It was decorated with four sitting figures, each 3.70 meters high, at the corners and four standing figures, each 3.50 meters high, on the sides. In the front there was Klio with the dedication “Dem Righteous” and the inscription “To the King Friedrich Wilhelm III. King Wilhelm 1863 ”; in the back the allegory of religion with "Peace on Earth". On the right, between the allegories of the Rhine and Memel , was Borussia with the inscription “You have often harassed me from my youth, but you have not overpowered me” ( Ps 129.2  EU ); left between art and science the allegory Legislation with “Justice exalts a people” ( Prov 14.34  EU ). In her right hand she held a plaque of law on which the under Friedrich Wilhelm III. Introduced Prussian reforms were: "Abolition of inheritance , restriction of compulsory guilds , city ​​regulations , foundation of the University of Berlin , general war obligation , customs union , union , author rights ."

When the Lustgarten was redesigned in 1936, the equestrian statue was moved to the western edge of the square without the marble substructure and its head turned towards the Berlin Cathedral . The monument was damaged during World War II . By April 1946, the communist-dominated magistrate had already removed it and had the bronze figures moved to the courtyard. The equestrian statue was probably melted down later for non-ferrous metal extraction. The figures Klio and Wissenschaft , which are now in the Nikolaiviertel , a corresponding genius in Kleistpark and the figure Rhine in the inner courtyard of the Märkisches Museum have been preserved .

The figure Clio recalls the presumably by Lysippos created Venus of Capua , in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples is issued. Borussia recalled the presumably by Phidias created Athena Farnese , which is also located there.

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  Venus de Capua in the National Archaeological Museum, Naples

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  Front view of the Klio in the Nikolaiviertel

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  Rear view of the Klio in the Nikolaiviertel

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  Science in the Nikolaiviertel

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  Associated genius in Kleistpark

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  Athena Farnese in the National Archaeological Museum, Naples

Trivia

In the vestibule to the historic Yorcksaal of the East Prussian landscape building in Königsberg was a two-meter-high copy of the figure Borussia, which has been missing since 1945.

literature

• Jutta von Simson: The sculptor Albert Wolff 1814-1892 . Gebr. Mann Verlag, Berlin 1982, ISBN 978-3-7861-1289-1 , pp. 86-95
• Peter Bloch , Waldemar Grzimek : Classic Berlin. The Berlin School of Sculpture in the nineteenth century. Propylaen Verlag, Berlin, 1978, ISBN 978-3-549-06631-7 , pp. 154, 249

Web links

Commons : Equestrian statue Friedrich Wilhelm III (Berlin-Mitte)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Entry in the Berlin State Monument List with further information
• Entry in the Berlin State Monument List with further information

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Jutta von Simson: The sculptor Albert Wolff 1814-1892 . Gebr. Mann Verlag, Berlin 1982, ISBN 978-3-7861-1289-1 , pp. 217-218
2. ^ Berlin (Germany) Magistrat, Dieter Hanauske: The minutes of the meeting of the Magistrate of the City of Berlin 1945/46: 1946 . Berlin Verl., 1995, ISBN 978-3-87061-519-2 , pp. 397 ( google.de [accessed July 26, 2019]).