Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schwartz Bust

Gazing upon Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schwartz’s bust, one might wonder about the man behind the bronze. This bust, created by F. Pfannschmidt in 1902, commemorates a figure deeply intertwined with Berlin’s academic and cultural landscape. Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schwartz, born in Berlin in 1821, served as director of the Luisengymnasium in Berlin from 1882 to 1894. The bust, originally placed on a different pedestal, now rests on a Muschelkalk base, a later addition. The inscription “Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schwartz / 1882-1894” clearly identifies the subject and his tenure at the school. The greenish patina adds a touch of age and dignity to the bronze. Beyond his role as an educator, Schwartz was a renowned philologist, folklorist, and writer. He meticulously collected regional sagas, fairy tales, and customs from Northern Germany, including his native Brandenburg, preserving the rich oral traditions of the region. He collaborated with Adalbert Kuhn on “Norddeutsche Sagen, Märchen und Gebräuche,” a significant compilation of folklore published in 1848. Schwartz also delved into the origins of mythology, exploring Greek and German sagas. His scholarly work extended to prehistoric anthropology and the beliefs of ancient Greece, as seen in his writings like “Der Ursprung der Mythologie” and “Die altgriechischen Schlangengottheiten.” The bust of Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schwartz stands as a testament to his multifaceted contributions to scholarship and education in Berlin. His work continues to resonate with researchers and enthusiasts of folklore and mythology. The bust invites us to remember his legacy, a man who dedicated his life to unraveling the stories of the past.