Deutsches Eck

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Front view of the statue (2006)

[edit] History

Deutsches Eck (German Corner) is the name of a headland in Koblenz where the river Moselle joins the Rhine. In 1897, nine years after the death of the German Emperor Wilhelm I, who was celebrated as the man who fought for the German union in several wars, the former emperor was honoured with a giant equestrian statue at the named headland. Under his reign the German Empire included areas which are today parts of Russia, Poland, France, Denmark, Belgium and Lithuania. German was predominantly spoken in all of these areas. The importance of this union was also underlined by an inscription quoting a German poem: “Nimmer wird das Reich zerstöret, wenn ihr einig seit und treu”. (Never will the Empire be destroyed, so long as you are united and true.) Another inscription could be found at the statue dedicating it to “Wilhelm dem Großen” (Wilhelm the Great), demonstrating once more the respect for the deeds of Wilhelm I.

In 1945 the statue was badly damaged by an American artillery shell. Soon afterwards it was completely taken down. The French military government planned to replace the old memorial with a monument for peace and understanding among nations, but this concept was never realized. After the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland) and the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republic / DDR) in 1949, the country was divided into a capitalist west and a communist east. In order to express the deep wish for a united Germany, Bundespräsident (Federal President) Theodor Heuss turned the German Corner into a monument to the German Union. As a result, the emblems of all German “Länder” (federal states), including those of the former “lost” Eastern areas such as Silesia, East Prussia and Alsace-Lorraine, were installed. Replacing the destroyed equestrian statue, a great German flag waved over the place. The desire for a reunion not only with the federal states that formed the DDR but also with the areas which now belonged to the Soviet Union and France was particularly emphasised. In the 1980s a feature on the monument was often shown on television when the National Anthem marked the end of the day, a practise which stopped when non-stop broadcasting became common. This habit points out the general view of German identity.

After the Berlin Wall came down in October 1989, three concrete parts of it were installed next to the monument. As the German Union was not yet realised, these three parts symbolized the possibilities of a change in the current separation of the states. At the very day the German Union was approved on October 3rd, 1990, the emblems of the “new” federal states were added, even as the areas which were now under Polish administration were finally ceded to Poland. This development clearly points out the German view of what is supposed to be considered as “Germany”. The former wish for a German Empire including all the parts which Wilhelm I had conquered finally and completely changed into the acceptance of a smaller but nevertheless united Germany.

The monument lost its function as a reminder after the German Union in 1990. Yet a discussion arose regarding a reshaping of the place. Critics considered the reinstallation of the equestrian statue of Wilhelm I as out of time and improper, whereas promoters saw the chance for tourist benefits. The debate came to an end when a couple from Koblenz announced that they would bear all costs for a reconstruction of the statue. On September 25th, 1993, the new statue was inaugurated.

Today the only reminders of the monument to the German Union are the three parts of the Berlin Wall which can still be found at the place. Those are now dedicated to the “victims of the separation”. The self-portrayal of Germany can be reconstructed by looking at the history of the German Corner. The memorial which started as a monument to unity and was later shaped into one to reunion is today a monument to confederation of the two German states.

[Who/what is the figure next to Wilhelm?]