Esslingen installs controversial Onion Devil monument

The city of Esslingen am Neckar has installed a 2.5-meter tall bronze statue known as the Onion Devil (Zwieblinger Teufel) in its historic market square. Created by 29-year-old German sculptor Tim Bengel, the 400-kilogram artwork depicts a devil with large horns and a bitten onion.

The monument, valued at approximately 200,000 euros, was funded by local winery Kessler Sekt to commemorate the city's 1,250th anniversary and the winery's 200th anniversary. The sculpture is based on a local legend where a devil, disguised as a nobleman, was tricked by a merchant into biting an onion instead of an apple, leading him to curse the residents as “onion eaters” before fleeing to Stuttgart.

Public reaction to the installation has been deeply divided, with some residents even directing threats toward local authorities. However, Mayor Matthias Klopfer expressed gratitude to Kessler Sekt for providing the unusual symbol of the city's connection to its history.