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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The German Order was given an area for their Deutschherrenhaus Balley right at the border of both rivers, which became known as German corner (Deutsches Eck).
In 1897, a monument to German Emperor William I, mounted on a 14 meter high horse, was inaugurated there by his grandson William II. The architect was Bruno Schmitz, who was responsible for a number of nationalistic German monuments and memorials. The German corner is since associated with this monument, the foundation of the German Empire and the German refusal of any French claims to the area, as described in the song "Die Wacht am Rhein" together with the "Wacht am Rhein" called "Niederwalddenkmal" somewhat 30km upstream.
During WW2, the statue was destroyed by US artillery. The French occupation administration intended the complete destruction of the monument and wanted to replace it with a new one.
In 1953, Bundesprasident Theodor Heuss re-dedicated the monument to German unity, adding the signs of the remaining western federal states as well as the ones of the lost areas in the East. A Flag of Germany waved there since. The Saarland was added four years later after the population had voted to join Germany.
In the 1980s, a movie of the monument was often shown on late night TV when the National Anthem was played to mark the end of the day, a practise which was discontinued when nonstop broadcasting became common. On October 3, 1990, the very day the former GDR states joined, their signs were added to the monument.
As German unity was considered complete and the areas under Polish administration were ceded to Poland, the monument lost its official active purpose, now only reminding of past history. In 1993, the flag was replaced by a copy of the statue, donated by a local couple.
William I Monument |
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