Väter der Einheit, Bronze busts memorial at Axel-Springer-Passage, Berlin, Germany.
Väter der Einheit is a memorial by French sculptor Serge Mangin in front of the Axel-Springer-Hochhaus on Rudi-Dutschke-Straße. It consists of three bronze portrait busts of Helmut Kohl, George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev, each on a 1.75-metre granite base weighing about 1.3 tonnes. The busts show different expressions: Kohl serious and far-sighted, Gorbachev mild, Bush with a faint paternal smile.
The busts of Helmut Kohl and Mikhail Gorbachev were first shown in the Axel-Springer-Passage in 2007 and 2009. On 29 September 2010, the 20th anniversary of German reunification, the publisher opened the complete three-bust memorial to the public. Former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt unveiled it, and Richard von Weizsäcker attended. The bronze casting was done by the Herbich art foundry in Gernlinden, Bavaria.
The three leaders sat as models for French sculptor Serge Mangin, and each bust carries a distinct expression: Kohl a far-sighted, serious look, Gorbachev an open-hearted mildness, Bush a hinted paternal smile. The bronze was cast at the Herbich art foundry in Gernlinden, Bavaria.
The memorial stands outdoors on Rudi-Dutschke-Straße and remains freely accessible year-round. Its central location makes it simple to visit while walking through the neighborhood.
The owl beside the memorial is a relic of the Ullstein publishing house and has stood by the high-rise for many years, predating the busts. It is not part of Serge Mangin's ensemble, which is why visitors often mistake it for a later addition.
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