What kind of victory? Well, the monument commemorates Prussia's and its allies' victory over Germany's Erbfeind (hereditary enemy), France, in 1871, Germany's War of Unification.
You may know that in 1870 France declared war on Prussia, answering Bismarck's provocation, and in the end, the French Emperor Napoleon III was a POW at Bismarck's mercy. Read more in German.
In 1876, the then-German Emperor Wilhelm I inaugurated the Siegesdenkmal (Victory Memorial) in the presence of the Grand Duke of Baden, Friederich I., and the then-Imperial Chancellor Bismarck. It glorifies Baden's role in the War of Unification.
For decades, the memorial had stood on the axis of Freiburg's Kaiser-Joseph-Straße, but in 1961, traffic was obliged to be placed somewhat off-axis on the nearby Friedrichring, rarely discovered by visiting tourists. With the complete redesign of the site due to the new streetcar line, the Siegesdenkmal was moved to its old location - now a pedestrian zone - causing a storm in the media.
While a few pleaded for the memorial to be part of our history, others proposed moving it to the city's outskirts, and some wanted the bronze melted down. The city council was startled by those reactions, promised to name the square around the memorial, presently called Siegesdenkmal like the streetcar stop, and proposed the name Europaplatz (Europe Square).
A new avalanche of letters followed, mostly criticizing Europaplatz as a cheap plug-in. Some wanted to retain the old name, Platz des Siegesdenkmals; others favored Freundschaftsplatz (Square of Friendship [with France]).
You may know that in 1870 France declared war on Prussia, answering Bismarck's provocation, and in the end, the French Emperor Napoleon III was a POW at Bismarck's mercy. Read more in German.
In 1876, the then-German Emperor Wilhelm I inaugurated the Siegesdenkmal (Victory Memorial) in the presence of the Grand Duke of Baden, Friederich I., and the then-Imperial Chancellor Bismarck. It glorifies Baden's role in the War of Unification.
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| Siegesdenkmal, now without any decorations and barriers in Freiburg's pedestrian zone |
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| Photo from yesterday. Siegesdenkmal is back in its original position. |
A new avalanche of letters followed, mostly criticizing Europaplatz as a cheap plug-in. Some wanted to retain the old name, Platz des Siegesdenkmals; others favored Freundschaftsplatz (Square of Friendship [with France]).
The socialist camp proposed Jean Jaurès, the French socialist, who was assassinated for his pacifist ideas on the eve of World War I, the bloodiest confrontation between the two European neighbors.
Red Baron preferred a last-minute proposal, Badische Freiheit (Baden Freedom), commemorating the Baden Revolution of 1848/49.
Without a clear majority for either proposal, the vote of Freiburg's city council scheduled for mid-February had been postponed. Yesterday evening, the deputies finally decided in a close vote of 20 against 19 to name the square Europaplatz, admitting that Freiburgers will continue to call it Siegesdenkmal.
Red Baron preferred a last-minute proposal, Badische Freiheit (Baden Freedom), commemorating the Baden Revolution of 1848/49.
Without a clear majority for either proposal, the vote of Freiburg's city council scheduled for mid-February had been postponed. Yesterday evening, the deputies finally decided in a close vote of 20 against 19 to name the square Europaplatz, admitting that Freiburgers will continue to call it Siegesdenkmal.
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