Perhaps you have heard the name Matthias Claudius. This statue honors the famous poet and journalist. It stands as a testament to his enduring legacy.
The Matthias Claudius Statue captures a moment from Claudius’ life. It connects his work to the world. The sculpture was created by Waldemar Otto from Worpswede. Otto also created the Heinrich Heine monument on Hamburg’s Rathausplatz.
This artwork references Claudius’ famous poem “Der Mond ist aufgegangen”. The statue depicts the poet under a starry sky. It reflects the sky on his birthday August 15, 1740.
The statue’s base features the poem’s seven stanzas. Most of the 125000 Euro cost was provided by the Hamburg Agnes Gräfe Foundation.
Pastor Richard Hölck noted Claudius’ themes remain relevant today. These themes include tolerance religion and cultural harmony. Claudius was a devout Lutheran. He valued religious breadth and tolerance. His era’s new literary tone was simple and clear. It was also deeply loving toward life.
Wandsbek was central to Claudius’ life for many years. His “Wandsbecker Bote” was published here. It had 400 readers and featured contributions from many great minds. Back then Wandsbek was part of the Danish Kingdom. Later it became Prussian. It only became a Hamburg district in 1937.
Matthias Claudius was born in Reinfeld Holstein on August 15 1740. He died in Hamburg on January 21 1815. He was a renowned German poet and journalist. People know him for his folk-style poetry that was full of intense emotion.
Claudius came from a pastoral family. His father Matthias Claudius was a pastor. His mother Maria was the daughter of a Flensburg councilor. The family name “Clausen” was Latinized to “Claudius”. He was related to Theodor Storm and Johannes Brahms on his mother’s side. Matthias Claudius maintained a warm relationship with his father.
Death touched Matthias Claudius’ early life. When he was eleven his sister and two brothers died. He called death “Friend Hain”. He even dedicated his books to death.
After his confirmation Claudius studied theology at the University of Jena. He later switched to law and cameralistics.
Claudius became a member of the German Society. He admired Heinrich Wilhelm von Gerstenberg. He began writing short stories and songs. He contracted smallpox but recovered. His brother Josias died from smallpox while caring for him. Claudius’ first publication was a eulogy for Josias.
Claudius worked as a secretary in Copenhagen. He met Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock. Klopstock influenced his literary career. He then worked as an editor for the Hamburgischen-Adreß-Comtoir-Nachrichten. He interacted with Enlightenment thinkers like Johann Gottfried Herder and Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
In 1771 Matthias Claudius moved to Wandsbek. He became the editor of “Der Wandsbecker Bothe”. The newspaper was known throughout Germany. It did not achieve financial success though.
Claudius married Anna Rebekka Behn in 1772. They had twelve children. His family was the center of his life. His beliefs are evident in his 1799 letter “an meinen Sohn Johannes.”
Claudius joined the Hamburg Freemason lodge “Zu den drei Rosen” in 1774. He later became a speaker for the Andreasloge Fidelis. His financial situation was always unstable. The Danish Crown Prince Friedrich granted him an honorary salary in 1785.
Claudius fled Hamburg due to war in 1813. He spent his final months with his son-in-law Friedrich Christoph Perthes. Matthias Claudius died on Jungfernstieg in Hamburg. He was buried in the Historischen Friedhof Wandsbek.
Today Matthias Claudius is remembered. The Matthias Claudius Statue stands as a reminder of his enduring influence. His words continue to inspire. His legacy lives on in Hamburg and beyond. Remember his words and values as you leave this place.