Remember Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke? He stands here in memoriam. This is the Moltke-Denkmal.
The Moltke-Denkmal commemorates a key figure in German history. Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke helped found the German Empire with Otto von Bismarck. Moltke was chief of the General Staff. He was instrumental in the so-called Wars of Unification. These were the Dano-Prussian War, the Austro-Prussian War, and the Franco-Prussian War. Moltke’s victories united the German people. Bismarck influenced politics. Moltke influenced military strategy.
Born into Mecklenburg nobility, Helmuth von Moltke joined the Danish military with his brothers in 1811. His father, Friedrich Philipp Victor, helped him. Moltke served King Frederik VI of Denmark with all his heart.
Prussia made him a better offer. Moltke switched sides. He became a Second Lieutenant in Frankfurt an der Oder. He had the same rank in the Danish service.
After four years abroad, he returned and became a Major. This promotion was due to his service in the Ottoman Empire. He rose through the military ranks. In 1858, he became Chief of the General Staff. In 1862, he was tasked with creating war plans against Denmark. This happened a few years later. His knowledge from his time in Denmark helped him assess Danish strengths and weaknesses.
Just as monuments were erected for Bismarck, there are also monuments for Count von Moltke across Germany. Here in Wandsbek, opposite Eichtalpark, surrounded by cherry laurel, stands the Moltke-Denkmal. It is a boulder with Moltke’s face. The artist Carl Garbers created the relief. He also created the Simon von Utrecht figure on the Kersten-Miles-Brücke. The monument was erected on September 2, 1910. The date is carved on the back.
The Moltke-Denkmal stands at the corner of Ahrensburger Straße and Eichtalstraße. Until 1937, Eichtalstraße was Moltkestraße. It was renamed with the implementation of the Greater Hamburg Act. Today, there is still a Moltkestraße in the Generalsviertel in Hoheluft.
Wandsbek became a Prussian garrison town with several barracks in 1866. Before that, it was Danish. A military connection to Moltke is therefore not far-fetched. Helmuth’s father, Friedrich, is buried in Wandsbek’s historic cemetery. A memorial plaque for the general’s great-grandnephew, resistance fighter Helmuth James Graf von Moltke, is near the grave. There is a family connection to Wandsbek.
Below the relief are Moltke’s name and dates. He was born on October 26, 1800. He died on April 24, 1891. The Moltke-Denkmal serves as a reminder of his life.