Fancy a tale about a statue with a misleading name? We are standing before the Harmlos Statue. It is located in the green area of the Prinz-Carl-Palais near the Englischer Garten in Munich.
This statue is more than just a pretty face. It has a story and a bit of irony attached to it. The Harmlos Statue’s nickname came from the inscription on its base. It reads: HARMLOS. WANDELT HIER. DANN KEHRET. NEU GESTÄRKT. ZU JEDER. PFLICHT ZURÜCK. This translates to: Harmless. Walk here. Then return. Newly strengthened. To every duty.
Locals misinterpreted “harmlos” or harmless as the statue’s name. The statue depicts Antinoos a Greek youth. Many ancient statues of him exist. He was a popular subject in Renaissance art.
Franz Jakob Schwanthaler created the Harmlos Statue. Bavarian Minister Graf Theodor Heinrich Topor von Morawitzky commissioned it in 1803. This was to celebrate the Englischer Garten’s tenth anniversary.
Back then this area was different. The Regimentsweg from the Hofgartenkaserne ran here. The Englischer Garten was only accessible through the Hofgartentor. Later the Finanzgarten and Prinz-Carl-Palais were built nearby.
The inscription encouraged city dwellers to use this space for recreation. It was a government-approved permit to relax. The small green space in front of the statue is called Harmlos-Wiese.
The irony? Antinoos the statue’s model was anything but harmless. He was the lover of Roman Emperor Hadrian.
The original Harmlos Statue is now in the Residenzmuseum. The statue here is a copy from 1983.
So as you stroll by remember the Harmlos Statue. Think about its misinterpreted name. Consider the story of Antinoos. Reflect on the call to duty. It is a reminder that things are not always what they seem. Enjoy the park and return strengthened to your duties.