This nickname doesn't fulfil the responsibility of this impressive column at the famous Berlin Tiergaten. The German Emperor Wilhelm I. commissioned the Victory Column as a dedication to the Prussian victorys over Denmark (1864), Austria (1866) and France (1871).
The 66 meters high monument is located in the centre of the Großer Stern (Great Star), a roundabout, which leads the five biggest main streets of Berlin together. Originally the Victory Column was constructed at the Königsplatz, today known as Platz der Republik, in the end of the Victory Avenue (Siegesallee). In those days the column had only an altitude of 50 meters. Designed was the Victory Column by Johann Heinrich Strack between 1864 and 1873. The prominent bronze sculpture of the goddes of Victoria at the top of the column was drafted by Friedrich Drake. The statue looks small, but its high is about 8,3 meters and its weight of more than 35 tonnes tip the scales.
The landmark of the Victory Column is in this manner constructed,
that the column stands on a hall of pillars, which are made of polished red granite. In there you find the famous glass mosaic drafted by the artist Anton von Werner.
Karl Keil, Alexander Candrelli, Moritz Schulz and Albert Wolff brought the bronze reliefs into beeing, which illustrate the three wars and the marching into Berlin after the victory over France in 1871. Infact every relief is 12 meters long. Fortunately the Victory Column was received our. For the simple reason after the Second World War the French made an application to detonate the landmark, but the Britains and the Americans prevented damage, because only buildings created after 1914 were allowed to destroy. The French weren't happy about this but accepted it under protest. At least they asserted their claims to remove the bronze reliefs. Not until the 750th anniversary in 1987 the art objects found their way home.
The Victory Column itself consists of four cylinders, although the fourth one was primal added in 1938/1939. It enlarged the monument about 7,5 meters once more and it is adorned with golden tendrils. The Emperor Wilhelm I. ordered, that spoils of war should be included into the memorial. Thatswhy gold-plated cannonns decorate the other three cylinders.
In due course the fanatic Nazi architect Albert Speer wanted to put his monumental plans of the "Welthauptstadt Germania" into practice and needed there for place, the memorial was disassembled at the Königsplatz and rebuilt at the Great Star again. Later in 1941 Johannes Huntenmüller planned four gate lodges combined with tunnels leeding to the Victory Column. It allowes even today passengers and visitors to pass the streets safely and to visit the column with its marvellous viewing platform. Into the column exact 285 steps leed you to an amazing panoramic view. The endeavour is worth ones while. From there you can see the Tiergarten, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag or the Potsdamer Platz.
Through the years many political celebrations took place at the Great Star. But today most people remember this place because of the great festivity of the Techno - Love - Parade celebrated there some years ago.
Übers. C.D.
