This monument stands opposite the Basel Bahnhof SBB and is visible from the various outdoor tram platforms. It is my sculptor Auguste-Fréderic Bartholdi (1834-1904) who you might know was responsible for the Lion of Belfort in Paris and of course, the Statue of Liberty in New York. Bartholdi was born in Colmar which is a short train ride from here.
This monument was designed by Bartholdi to stand in the Centralbahnplatz to be visible from all sides. However, it was erected here in October 1895 in De-Wette Park.
In 1870/71, the city of Strasbourg was under siege by German troops and came under fire by August Leopold Karl Wilhelm von Werder. In the weeks following, the Swiss were able to evacuate thousands from the embattled city. This monument commemorates that relief operation. It depicts the guardian spirit of Strasbourg (at the left), handing the war-torn city (in the center) over to the care of Helvetia (at the right). A crying child represents the suffering of the population. There are also reliefs on each side.
It was last renovated in 2014.
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