Nagelsäule, War memorial in Mainz, Germany
The Nagelsäule is a stone column standing in central Mainz dedicated to those who died in the First World War. It displays carved inscriptions commemorating the names of the fallen.
Built in 1916, the memorial emerged from a grassroots movement where citizens drove nails into wooden structures to raise funds supporting the war effort. This nail-driving tradition spread rapidly across German communities during the conflict.
The column reflects how the community came together to honor those lost in the First World War through a shared memorial space. It shows a way that people once marked sorrow and remembrance in the heart of their city.
The memorial sits in a central location in Mainz and is easy to reach on foot from most parts of the city. You can visit it anytime without restrictions, as it stands in a public space accessible around the clock.
This memorial belongs to a distinctive category of German monuments where citizens literally drove nails into wooden frames as a form of public giving. The practice of nail-driven fundraising has nearly disappeared, making this a window into a forgotten method of community support from over a century ago.
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