Whose vision was it to celebrate German emperors with a grand hall? It was Görlitz’s leaders who dreamed of honoring Wilhelm I and Friedrich III. The Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall stands before us. It is more than a building. It is a symbol of history, culture and German-Polish connection.
The Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall started as a vision in 1888. The leaders wanted to honor Kaiser Wilhelm I and Friedrich III. There were ideas for statues and churches. But a hall of fame won. It would celebrate the emperors and promote art.
Funds came from lotteries and donations. By 1893, 400.000 Mark were collected. In 1897, an architecture competition was held. Hugo Behr’s design was chosen. Construction began in 1898. The opening took place in 1902. Kaiser Wilhelm II attended. The Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall also housed the Kaiser Friedrich Museum. It showcased Upper Lusatian history and art. The hall stood as a symbol of German unity.
Look at the building’s facade. It once declared: “To the founders of the German Empire, the grateful Upper Lusatia”. This showed the region’s bond with the newly unified Germany. After the Vienna Congress, Upper Lusatia was split. Part became Prussian. Part stayed with Saxony. The Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall showed the region’s loyalty to the German Empire.
Inside, statues honored German leaders. Johannes Pfuhl created the double statue of the emperors. Herm busts of supporting princes stood by the gallery. Bismarck, Moltke, and Roon were also honored.
During World War II, the museum closed. Polish soldiers took the statues after the war. In 1948, the building became a cultural center for Zgorzelec. It became known as Dom Kultury. In 1950, the Görlitz Agreement was signed here. It defined the German-Polish border. A plaque at the entrance commemorates this event.
Today, the Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall hosts events. There are exhibitions and concerts. It is a place for German-Polish交流. The city councils of Görlitz and Zgorzelec meet here. Since 2010, an elevator makes the building accessible. Renovations have been ongoing since 2007.
The building’s architecture mixes styles. It combines Neo-Baroque and Neo-Classicism. It has a central building topped by a dome. The dome reaches 42 meters high. Hugo Lederer created the “War” and “Peace” sculptures. Reinhard Schnauder made the reliefs “Horrors of War” and “Blessings of Peace”.
The domed hall is the building’s heart. It is 21 meters high. The staircase once led to the emperors’ statue. The dome is modeled after the Reichstag’s. Light streams through stained glass. The glass shows the flags of the German states.
The stained-glass windows are special. They feature flags and coats of arms. These represent states of the German Empire. The windows were created using traditional techniques.
The Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall’s stained glass had not been restored since 1904. The glass was dirty and dark. Nets were put up to catch falling pieces. In 2022, restoration work began. The stained glass was carefully cleaned and repaired. Missing pieces were replaced. The restored glass now shines brightly.
The Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall is a symbol of shared history. It is a place of beauty. It is a place where cultures meet. The Upper Lusatian Memorial Hall stands as a reminder of the past and a beacon for the future. Donations can help restore the building’s decorations. The Deutsch-Polnische Stiftung Kulturpflege und Denkmalschutz welcomes contributions.