Darmstadt to retrieve Germania statue after 23 years in workshop

Darmstadt Germania statue monument restoration historical sculpture art conservation

The city of Darmstadt has resolved a long-standing dispute regarding a 120-year-old Germania statue that remained in a sculptor's workshop for 23 years. The 600-kilogram, 1.60-meter-tall figure was originally commissioned for restoration in 2003, but communication between the city and the workshop, operated by Ruth Andres and Andreas Heimbrock, was lost.

The statue, which commemorates the victims of the Franco-Prussian War, was rediscovered by a monument conservator during research. Following a period of tension where the city initially declined to pay storage fees, Mayor Hanno Benz personally contacted the workshop to arrange for the statue's collection.

Darmstadt will transport the sculpture to its municipal art depot. The city has also agreed to pay 2,627.52 euros to cover 276 months of storage costs, though officials stated the payment is made ‘without acknowledgment of a legal obligation.’ The statue is expected to be relocated to the Eberstadt town hall by 2027.

Entities

Andreas Heimbrock · Darmstadt · Hanno Benz · Ruth Andres · SteinSign

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] A monument conservator discovered the location of the missing statue during research. www.faz.net
[● 2 SOURCES] The city originally commissioned the restoration of the statue in 2003. www.hna.de · www.faz.net
[● 2 SOURCES] The statue is approximately 1.60 meters tall and weighs 600 kilograms. www.hna.de · www.op-online.de
[● 2 SOURCES] The statue will be stored in the municipal art depot until it is potentially moved to the Eberstadt town hall in 2027. www.hna.de · www.op-online.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The city of Darmstadt agreed to collect a 600-kilogram Germania statue after 23 years. www.hna.de · www.op-online.de · www.faz.net
[● 2 SOURCES] The city will pay 2,627.52 euros in storage costs for 276 months. www.hna.de · www.op-online.de
[● 2 SOURCES] The city is paying the storage fees without acknowledging a legal obligation to do so. www.hna.de · www.op-online.de

Sources

Stadt holt Denkmal 23 Jahre lang nicht ab: Posse um Figur beendet [www.hna.de]

22 days ago

Stadt holt Denkmal 23 Jahre lang nicht ab: Posse um Figur beendet [www.op-online.de]

22 days ago

Darmstadt vergisst zwei Jahrzehnte alte Statue [www.faz.net]

23 days ago