Who could imagine a sculpture with such a dramatic birth? The Elegie statue, a delicate figure of a young woman, sits dreamily by the Obersee. She evokes a sense of peace and contemplation. The Elegie wasn’t always here. Her story begins with a theft. In 2013, a bronze statue named “Sommer” was stolen from this very spot. The thieves were likely after the valuable metal. The Förderverein Obersee & Orankesee refused to let the pedestal remain empty. They launched a project for a new statue. In 2014, they commissioned the artist Evgenia Usimova.
Usimova, a Belarusian sculptor living in Berlin, found inspiration in the lakeside setting. The legend of the enchanted Oranke Princess also influenced her work. The Elegie became her first large-scale public artwork. The statue’s creation was a long and laborious process. Usimova started with a small model, then a full-sized clay figure. The Förderverein documented her progress. They witnessed the delicate work with brushes, hammers, and welding torches. The statue slowly took shape.
Disaster struck just before the unveiling. The mold for the final concrete casting broke. It was a devastating setback. In a daring move, the fragile clay model was transported across Berlin to another workshop. There, using a special technique, the Elegie was finally “born” on March 25, 2015. After finishing touches, the grand opening took place as planned. On April 2, 2015, the community welcomed the nixie-like figure to the Obersee. She now sits here, a symbol of rest and contemplation, gazing dreamily across the water. The Elegie’s presence is a testament to the community’s resilience. It’s a beautiful reminder that art can triumph over adversity.