“Schiller in der Badewanne” they called it. A curious nickname for such a grand monument. But stand here before the Schillerdenkmal in Dresden and you’ll understand. This isn’t just a statue it’s a story. A story sculpted in Laaser marble and etched in relief.
The Schillerdenkmal is more than just a tribute to the great poet Friedrich Schiller. It’s a testament to Dresden’s artistic spirit. It stands southwest of Albertplatz between Hauptstrasse and Königstrasse in the Innere Neustadt district. This was no easy feat. In 1905 a committee formed to raise funds for this monument. Thirty thousand marks was the target. Private donations proved slow. A competition was held in 1908 but failed to produce a winning design.
It wasn’t until 1913 that Selmar Werner a sculptor from Robert Diez’s school was chosen. Diez himself had created numerous works in Dresden including the Twin Fountains on Albertplatz. Werner’s vision was of Schiller as a purely intellectual ideal. Clad in Greek robes Schiller is surrounded by figures from his most famous works.
Oswin Hempel created the architecture. The 3.4-meter-high statue sits on a pedestal in a rotunda. The rotunda’s diameter is 7.5 meters. You descend a single symbolic step to enter. Nine reliefs adorn the walls each depicting scenes from Schiller’s works. These include “The Division of the Earth” “Hero and Leander” and “William Tell”. The style is austere. No perspective just figures against a background.
The Denkmal was unveiled on May 9 1914 the 109th anniversary of Schiller’s death. Remarkably it survived the bombing of Dresden in 1945. Its location and protective winter covering saved it. Even the Hauptstrasse renovations in the 1970s left it untouched. It received a careful restoration in the 1990s.
But why “Schiller in der Badewanne”? Because the rotunda’s low height gave the monument a somewhat submerged appearance. A witty observation that’s lasted a century. So gaze at Schiller his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. Feel the weight of history. And remember this monument’s unique story. A tribute not only to Schiller but also to the resilience of Dresden itself.