Before you stands the Josef-Monument a powerful bronze testament to Oberbilk’s history. It’s more than just a statue. It’s a story etched in metal. A story of faith labor and resilience.
Created by Dusseldorf sculptor Bert Gerresheim in 1990 the monument sits proudly before St Josef Church. It’s a two-part masterpiece a group of figures and a detailed floor relief. The central figure is St Joseph gazing directly at his namesake church. He’s depicted as the patron saint of workers particularly carpenters reflecting the biblical account of his profession. He holds a carpenter’s square over his priestly robes. A workbench sits beside him. On a priestly stole a model of the church is displayed. Tools of the building trade surround it.
But the story doesn’t end with St Joseph. To his left stands Mother Maria Katharina Kasper. Canonized in 2018 she founded the Dernbacher Sisters. They provided vital charity work in Oberbilk until 1967. They aided victims of the 1870-71 war and impoverished industrial workers and their children. Mother Kasper comfortingly places her arm around a weary migrant worker. She offers him a rosary and a small coin purse.
A couple to their left symbolizes suffering and compassion. It depicts Pastor Johannes Lefarth a priest of St Josef from 1926 to 1945. He perished in March 1945 while aiding injured civilians under artillery fire. A young steelworker stands behind the group. He’s recognizable by his hammer heavy boots helmet and welding mask. An oversized gear behind him represents the iron and steel industry. A broken chain and severed hands signify the dangers of this work. The worker’s face and chest bear striking scars a powerful symbol of hardship and faith.
The floor relief is equally compelling. Fifteen panels depict Oberbilk’s history from the 1848-49 revolution to the mid-20th century. It vividly shows war worker suffering political upheaval and the power of the steel industry. The panels also detail the construction of St Josef Church and the growth of its parish. Among the figures are Friedrich Engels Karl Marx and Ferdinand Lassalle pivotal figures in the 1848 revolution. You’ll also see the church’s construction with Kaiser Wilhelm I donating war-melted bronze for its bells. A panel shows the church’s post-war rebuilding. The bells miraculously survived wartime requisition and were joyfully reinstated. The relief also portrays the lives of steelworkers their arrival from Belgium and the Eifel region and the harsh conditions in the forges. It highlights the balance between faith and labor. A final panel depicts the devastation of April 1945. It shows the hanging of Moritz Sommer a Jewish citizen. This scene serves as a reminder of the horrors of Nazi rule.
The Josef-Monument is more than a memorial. It’s a powerful reminder of Oberbilk’s past. It’s a tribute to the resilience and faith of its people. Take a moment. Study the details. Let the bronze figures speak to you. Their story is a chapter of Dusseldorf’s broader narrative. A narrative of both triumph and tragedy a narrative worth remembering.