“Poet of freedom and unity” a title bestowed upon Friedrich Schiller. The Schiller Statue embodies his enduring legacy.
Here before us stands the Schiller Statue. It is a tribute to one of Germany’s most revered literary figures. Friedrich Schiller’s words and ideas continue to resonate through time. This monument immortalizes his contribution to German literature and thought.
Friedrich Schiller lived from 1759 to 1805. He significantly shaped German literature. Schiller’s friendship and collaboration with Goethe was remarkable. It was like no other known to literature or art. Together, they were the seminal figures of Weimar Classicism.
Many monuments to Goethe and Schiller were built. They appeared throughout Europe and the United States. The original Goethe and Schiller Monument stands in Weimar, Germany. It was created by Ernst Rietschel in 1857.
The bronze figures are larger than life-size. Interestingly, Goethe and Schiller are the same height. Goethe was almost 20 cm shorter than Schiller. Goethe wears formal court dress. Schiller is in ordinary dress. Goethe’s left hand rests on Schiller’s shoulder. He holds a laurel wreath. Schiller’s right hand reaches for the wreath.
The monument in Weimar was sponsored by Grand Duke Karl Alexander August Johann. It was also sponsored by a citizen’s commission. The dedication coincided with the centennial of Grand Duke Karl August’s birth. He brought Goethe to Weimar in 1775. Goethe lived there most of his adult life. Schiller lived there for his final six years.
The Court Theater was the site for the monument. Goethe managed the theater from 1791 to 1815. He aimed to elevate the masses intellectually. He did this through Shakespeare, Gozzi, and Schiller. Goethe arranged for the theater to premiere Schiller’s last four plays.
Christian Daniel Rauch was first asked to design the double statue. His design showed the men in antique dress. This was rejected. Ernst Rietschel then designed the statue. His design showed the men in contemporary dress. This design was accepted.
Rietschel needed four years to complete the model. Ferdinand von Miller cast it in bronze quickly. The monument was dedicated on September 4, 1857. It was part of the celebrations for Grand Duke Karl August’s centennial. The monument was the first double statue on German soil. It was proclaimed a masterpiece.
Four exact copies of Rietschel’s statue were commissioned. German-Americans in the United States commissioned them. They are in San Francisco, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Syracuse. 65000 people attended the dedication of the Cleveland monument. A fifth copy was installed in Anting, China.
The commissioning of Rietschel’s statue honored Weimar’s famous poets. It also increased culture tourism to the city. Weimar claimed to be the “Athens on the Ilm”. The statue became part of a wider movement. This movement occurred in mid-19th-century Germany. It honored intellectual giants.
After the wars of liberation, citizens sought cultural pursuits. They erected monuments to intellectual giants. This was an honor previously reserved for princes and military men. A cult of the monument arose. Germans began to see themselves as “the people of poets and thinkers.”
By 1859, Schiller’s birth centenary, he was seen as the “poet of freedom and unity.” This was for German citizens. Speakers unanimously invoked Schiller. They saw him as a singer of freedom. They also saw him as a prophet of German unity.
Between 1830 and 1900, about 4 million immigrants came to the United States. They came from German countries in Europe. Many German-American communities preserved German language and culture. Schiller represented the best side of German character. This qualified Germans to become true American citizens.
During the Civil War, a quarter of a million German-born soldiers fought for Lincoln. Many of them carried Schiller in their knapsacks. By the late 19th century, German-Americans participated in the monument-building movement.
The German, who brought these two masters as his inheritance to a new homeland, contributed this wealth to the intellectual life of his fellow citizens. Never has a genius demonstrated the worth of virtue, the triumph of freedom, and the noble heart of patriotism with more eloquence and ardor than Schiller.
Monuments to Schiller had been erected in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Columbus, and St. Louis. By 1914, eight more monuments to Schiller had been erected in the US.
As we stand here let’s reflect on Schiller’s impact. He inspired generations with his ideals of freedom and unity. The Schiller Statue is more than a mere depiction. It is a symbol of cultural pride and intellectual pursuit. It reminds us of the power of words. It also reminds us of the enduring influence of great thinkers.