Adam-Opel-Denkmal, Bronze memorial statue in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
The Adam-Opel-Denkmal is a 3.35-metre bronze standing figure of Adam Opel, cast by A. Komo & Sohn of Frankfurt, green with patina and set on a low pale circular plinth. He wears a long coat over a suit and a full beard; his right arm hangs at his side while his left hand holds a rolled document. Behind it, a brown brick building with two arched entryways bears the metal letters "OPEL" above each arch.
Frankfurt sculptor Emil Hub created this bronze statue in 1937 to honor both the 75 years of the Opel company and the founder's centennial. The monument was made when the factory was at the height of its influence on Rüsselsheim.
The memorial honors Adam Opel's journey from craftsman to factory owner who shaped Rüsselsheim through his manufacturing business. Its placement near the factory entrance shows how central this entrepreneur remains to the city's identity.
The memorial can be visited free of charge as it sits on a public area facing the factory. Early morning or late afternoon offers the best light for photographs and viewing.
The statue was toppled from its base in two car accidents in November 2014 and had to be removed for repairs. It had already been shifted a few metres twice before, in the late 1980s and again in July 2005 during the station rebuild.
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