“Florentine” some call her. Here stands the Kind mit Kette Sculpture. A bronze sculpture of a girl with a necklace. The Kind mit Kette was created by Ursula Querner in 1957. Ursula Querner was born in 1921 and died in 1969. This artwork, the Kind mit Kette, is located at the Schule Bindfeldweg. Specifically, it stands to the right of the entrance to the school’s administrative building.
Originally, the Kind mit Kette was not here. It was purchased for the Schule Lokstedter Holt. This purchase was part of the “Kunst am Bau” program. “Kunst am Bau” translates to “art in architecture.” Later, the sculpture was moved to Bindfeldweg.
The school at Lokstedter Holt 46 was once a special school. In 1984, it was relocated to Bindfeldweg. The original building then became an office for the forestry authority.
Ursula Querner named her daughter “Florentine”. Her daughter was born in 1955. Some people call the Kind mit Kette by this name. It is an alternative name for the sculpture.
Other Kindertransport sculptures exist. These commemorate the rescue mission before World War II. The United Kingdom took in nearly 15000 children. These children came from Nazi Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Danzig. These Kindertransport sculptures stand in five European cities. They mark key points on the children’s journeys. Frank Meisler created these Kindertransport sculptures. He himself was rescued by Kindertransport.
The Kindertransport sculpture in Hamburg shows the agony of separation. It shows the emotional connection between the children. The children are non-comprehending.
Unlike these Kindertransport sculptures, the Kind mit Kette represents something else. It is a simple depiction of a girl with a necklace. The Kind mit Kette stands as a testament to Ursula Querner’s talent. It also marks the history of the Schule Bindfeldweg. It reminds us of art’s role in public spaces.