Hamburger Ehrenmal für die Gefallenen beider Weltkriege, War memorial in Hamburg-Altstadt, Germany
The Hamburger Ehrenmal für die Gefallenen beider Weltkriege is a limestone stele in Hamburg's old town, standing close to Rathausmarkt square. It rises to about 21 meters (69 ft) and carries on one face a carved relief by Ernst Barlach, while the opposite face bears an inscription honoring the fallen.
The memorial was built in 1930 to honor the soldiers from Hamburg who died in World War I. After World War II, it was expanded to cover the losses of the second conflict, and stonemason Friedrich Bursch reconstructed the damaged Barlach relief.
The relief of a mother holding a child is one of Ernst Barlach's most recognized works in a public space, and standing before it creates a clear contrast with the busy square just steps away. The sculpture draws people to stop, look closely, and read the inscription carved into the stone.
The memorial stands on level ground near Rathausmarkt and is easy to reach on foot, with no steps to navigate. Walking around both sides takes only a few minutes, but taking time to read the inscription and look at the relief makes the visit more meaningful.
The Barlach relief was removed in 1938 by the Nazi authorities, who classified it as degenerate art. It is one of the few public monuments in Germany where such a work was deliberately restored to its original place after the war.
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