Die Fremden, Sculpture group in Kassel, Germany

Die Fremden is a group of three glazed ceramic figures by Thomas Schütte, left in Kassel after Documenta IX in 1992 and now standing on the preserved portico of the Rotes Palais next to the Fridericianum. The figures wear colorful folkloric dress and carry improvised luggage such as bags, buckets, and boxes, standing apart from one another with downcast eyes above Friedrichsplatz.

Thomas Schütte made the work for Documenta IX in 1992, inspired by the Second Gulf War and the flight of Kurdish refugees. After the exhibition, the Leffers company bought it for 210,000 DM and gave it to Kassel. Three figures and their luggage stayed on the portico of the Rotes Palais; the rest went to Lübeck. In April 2014 it was dismantled for the portico's renovation and restored, then reinstalled in June 2015.

The figures represent people who must leave their home countries to start new lives elsewhere. They address themes of migration and displacement in the public space.

The three figures stand on the portico of the Rotes Palais beside the Fridericianum on Friedrichsplatz, in the heart of Kassel, where they can be viewed from the square below. They were temporarily dismantled in April 2014 for restoration of the portico and put back in June 2015.

The work was bought for 210,000 DM by the Leffers company, then owner of the Rothes Palais, and given to the city of Kassel. Only three figures and their luggage stayed in Kassel; the rest went to Lübeck. In April 2014 the group was dismantled for the portico's renovation and restored, then put back in June 2015.