“What secrets lie hidden beneath the stones of Dresden?” I ask you all. Today, we stand before a place steeped in history. It is a place where a grand monument once stood: the Wettin-Obelisk.
This obelisk was not just any stone structure. It was erected to celebrate 800 years of the House of Wettin ruling over Saxony. The year was 1889 when the Saxon royal house marked its 800-year anniversary. Festivities were planned and carried out.
The renowned Dresden architectural firm Schilling & Graebner received a special commission. They were to design two obelisks for the celebration on Schloßplatz. Johannes Schilling, father of Rudolf Schilling, sculpted and adorned these obelisks. Allegorical figures of the past and present graced the obelisks’ inner sides. A festive parade showcased 800 years of Wettin history. It passed by the obelisks and the honored guests.
After the celebration, the obelisks were dismantled. But a surplus of 33,750 marks remained from collections held throughout Saxony. The city of Dresden received this surplus. The Dresden city council decided to erect a permanent obelisk to commemorate the 800-year celebration. The triangular area between the Residenzschloss’ southwest wing and the Taschenbergpalais was chosen as the site. This location emphasized devotion and gratitude to King Albert and Queen Carola.
From 1895 to 1896, the Wettin-Obelisk took shape. Schilling & Graebner designed it. Johannes Schilling’s atelier brought it to life. The obelisk stood on a base of deep black syenite. The Rietscher granite company in Häßlich bei Bischheim crafted this base. Over-sized allegorical figures, Vergangenheit and Gegenwart, faced the Taschenbergpalais and the Schloss. These bronze figures radiated grace and beauty. They were cast in Lauchhammer. The copper spire was created by the Howald Successor company in Braunschweig. Clemens Grundig, a Dresden sculptor, created the ornamental plastic decorations. Reinhard König, also from Dresden, crafted the artistic weapon trophies. Professor Johannes Schilling designed the ancient Egyptian-style art elements. These included power symbols, the Wettin coat of arms, and a dedicatory inscription.
The bronze figures stood three meters tall. The entire obelisk reached a height of 18.50 meters. The total cost amounted to approximately 114,600 marks. The city council added 20,000 marks to the 33,750-mark surplus. The Dr-Güntz-Stiftung donated the remaining 60,850 marks.
On April 23, 1896, the dedication took place. King Albert and the entire royal family attended. Military music and celebratory speeches marked the event. Hundreds of Dresden citizens joined in this highlight. The new artwork found its place in all prominent travel guides.
However, this monument’s life was short. In 1942, the Aktion Metallspende des Deutschen Volkes marked the end of the obelisk. Unlike other former monarchies, no efforts were made to preserve it. The Wettin family was seen as resistant to the Third Reich.
After the obelisk’s removal, its base served a different purpose. A French 155 mm trophy cannon from World War I was placed on it. The military dominated the small square. The cannon stood as a symbol between the Schloss, Zwinger, and Taschenbergpalais.
The air raids of February 13, 1945, devastated Dresden. All surrounding buildings burned. The stone base with the cannon, however, survived. It symbolized the humiliation of art by the military.
After the war, Dresden lay in ruins. The new communist city council ordered the removal of all national socialist and military monuments. On May 3, 1946, young members of the FDJ rolled the French cannon off the base. They pushed it across Theaterplatz to the Elbe River. This military artifact disappeared and has never been found again. In the 1960s, the granite base was dismantled. It was stored in the city’s lapidarium.
Despite the reconstruction of the Residenzschloss and Taschenbergpalais, there are no plans to rebuild the Wettin-Obelisk. Only the decorative pavement on the small square recalls the monument that once stood here.