Did you know that this statue almost didn’t survive the war? We are standing before the Mutter-Anna-Denkmal. This monument honors Anna of Denmark, Electress of Saxony. People called her Mutter Anna because she was a benefactor.
This statue stands in front of the Annenkirche’s north exit. The church is in Dresden’s Wilsdruffer Vorstadt. The Mutter-Anna-Denkmal was initially built as a fountain. The city council decided to erect a monumental fountain in 1869. This marked the Annenkirche’s 100-year reconstruction anniversary. The fountain featured a bronze statue of Mutter Anna. She gave the church its name. The fountain was to be placed at the end of Annenstrasse.
The city took ownership after construction. The Mutter-Anna-Brunnen was unveiled on October 8, 1869. Professor Robert Henze created the gilded statue. Gebrüder Lenz-Herold in Nürnberg cast it. Baudirektor Friedrich was responsible for the architecture. Rietscher from Wiesa near Kamenz polished the Kamenzer granite postament. The same company also provided Lausitzer Lamprophyr for the fountain base. The Dresden firm Mirus handled the overall construction.
The front of the statue’s base read Anna Kurfürstin von Sachsen. It also mentioned the Dr Güntzschen Stiftung. The Stadtrath zu Dresden was also named. The back read Ihrem Verdienste um die Gründung der Annenkirche MDLXXVIII 1578. It was gratefully dedicated on October 8, 1869. A Saxon and a Danish coat of arms were on the sides. Four lion heads also adorned it.
The fountain was removed on April 22, 1892 for unknown reasons. On May 11, 1892, the statue was re-erected as the Annendenkmal. It stood on a natural stone base at the Annenkirche’s west exit.
The air raids on Dresden destroyed it in 1945. The bronze statue survived with minor damage. It was moved to the Alten Annenfriedhof. This protected it from scrap metal collections in the 1950s.
It was restored in the late 2000s. The original gilding was not applied. On May 20, 2011, it was re-dedicated. It now stands on a Lausitzer Lamprophyr base before the Annenkirche’s north exit. The base bears the simple inscription ANNA Churfürstin von Sachsen. This inscription is not historically accurate.
Anna of Denmark was a Danish princess. She married Augustus of Saxony. She became Electress of Saxony. Anna knew much about plants. She was skilled in preparing herbal remedies. She helped develop farming and horticulture in Saxony. Anna significantly influenced the introduction of orthodox Lutheranism. She played a role in persecuting Calvinists.
Remember Mutter Anna’s dedication to medicine and agriculture. Her legacy lives on through this monument. Take a moment to appreciate her contributions to Dresden.