The Luther Monument () is a monument dedicated to the reformer Martin Luther. The oldest one from 1821 is in Wittenberg. The largest one, the Luther Monument in Worms, was unveiled in 1868 as a composition of several statues, designed by Ernst Rietschel. Several monuments in the United States use a copy of Rietschel's main statue, including the Luther Monument in Washington, D.C., from 1884.
History Monuments for Luther were mainly erected in the second half of the 19th century. In several German towns, the served as memorials for the Reformation which Luther initiated. They often connect to events in the reformer's life, sometimes a visit in the town. The oldest full-size monument is the , which was at the same time the first public full-size monument for a person who was not noble. It was designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow and unveiled in 1821.
The largest monument was designed by Ernst Rietschel, and unveiled in Worms in 1868. Several statues with Luther in the centre are arranged in the shape of a castle, reminiscent of Luther's hymn "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" ("A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"). It influenced the design of other monuments. The central figure was copied several times, including seven replicas in the United States.Smithsonian American Art Museum: Rietschel, Ernest Friedrich August, 1804–1861, sculptor and Rietschel, Ernest Friedrich August, 1804–1861, sculptor. (copy after)
Monuments in Europe
in Annaberg-Buchholz (1883) in Aš, Bohemia (1883) in Bad Schandau (1817) on the Friedhof der Dorotheenstädtischen und Friedrichswerderschen Gemeinden in Berlin (1909), copy of the Wittenberg monument at the Marienkirche in Berlin (1895) by and Robert Toberentz in Bielsko-Biała, Poland (1900) at the Lutherkirche, by in Coburg (1883) in the Lutherschule, probably after Rietschel in Cottbus (1911) in front of the Niedersorbisches Gymnasium, by Heinrich Goetschmann in Dresden (1885) at the Frauenkirche, by Adolf von Donndorf after RietschelStatues Hither & Dither: Dresden in Elze (1883) in Eisenach (1885) by Adolf von Donndorf in Eisleben (1883) on the market square, by Rudolf SiemeringStatues Hither & Dither: Eisleben in Erfurt (1889), by Fritz Schaper in Hamburg (1912) at the Micheliskirche, by Otto LessingStatues Hither & Dither: Hamburg in Hanover (1900) at the Marktkirche, by , completed by Ferdinand Hartzer in Kirchberg (1908) in the Lutherpark, copy after Rietschel in Magdeburg (1886) in front of the , by in Möhra (1861) by on Norderney (1883), by Bernhard HöglStatues Hither & Dither: Norderney Luther in Nürnberg at the St. Sebald, with Phillipp MelanchthonStatues Hither & Dither: Nürnberg in Speyer (1903) at the Gedächtniskirche der Protestation, by Hermann Hahn near Steinbach (Bad Liebenstein) (1857) in Uelzen (1883) after Rietschel in Wennigsen (Deister), Lower Saxony (1960), copy of Springfield, Illinois in Wittenberg (1821) on the market square, by Johann Gottfried Schadow Luther Monument in Worms (1868), by Ernst Rietschel
Monuments in other continents
in Nova Friburgo, Brazil (2004) by Otavio Teixeira M. Netowfn.org: in memory of 180 years of Lutheranism in Brazil , 15 July 2004 in Santiago de Chile, Chile (2002) by Serena Piacentini, first Luther Monument in Spanish-speaking Latin AmericaChile: First Luther Monument in Spanish-speaking Latin America, Lutherischer Weltbund, 6 February 2003 in front of the Lutherkirche in Copenhagen, Dänemark (1983) by Rikard MagnussenOm Lutherkirken lutherkirken.dk
in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (1987) on the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta, by Danek MozdzenskiLuther Statue on the University of Alberta Campus Map in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. (1936) by Hans SchulerSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in Clayton, Missouri, U.S. (1904) on the campus of the Concordia Seminary, copy after RietschelSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue Martin Luther at Worms in Decorah, Iowa, U.S. (1911) on the campus of the Luther College, copy after RietschelSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in Dubuque, Iowa, U.S. (1921) on the campus of the Wartburg Theological Seminary, copy after RietschelSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. (1957) on the campus of the Concordia Theological Seminary, by Smithsonian American Art Museum: Eintrag im Art Inventories Catalogue in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. (1947) on the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, by Hans SchulerSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue Luther at 38 in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. (1960) in front of the First Lutheran Church, copy after the one in Fort WayneSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in Mount Clemens, Michigan, U. S. (1930) at the Cadillac Memorial Gardens, copy after RietschelSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in Seguin, Texas, U.S. (1976) on the campus of the Texas Lutheran College, by Elmer PetersenSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue Martin Luther the Teacher, Martin Luther the Musician in Springfield, Ohio, U.S. (1956) on the Campus of the Wittenberg University, by A. Regis MilioneSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. (1921) on the campus of the Concordia College, copy after RietschelSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in Austin. Texas. U.S. (2000) on the campus of Concordia University Texas, by Eloiese Krabbenhoft, Professor at Texas State University, San Marcus, Texas. Using measurements and Cranach portraits from the Wittenberg Luther Museum's curator, Martin Treu, Krabbenhoeft employed forensic technology to create a Luther from 1501, the age of an entering freshman at Concordia. in Streator, Illinois, U.S. (1935) in the Hillcrest Memorial Park, copy after RietschelSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue Luther Monument in Washington, D.C., U.S. (1884), copy after RietschelSmithsonian American Art Museum: in Art Inventories Catalogue in New Ulm, Minnesota at Martin Luther College in Mequon, Wisconsin at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin at Concordia University Wisconsin
References
Literature Otto Kammer: Reformationsdenkmäler des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts: Eine Bestandsaufnahme. Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, Leipzig 2004, . Christiane Theiselmann: Das Wormser Lutherdenkmal Ernst Rietschels (1856–1868) im Rahmen der Lutherrezeption des 19. Jahrhunderts. Europäische Hochschulschriften, Frankfurt am Main 1992, . Familienblatt der Lutheriden-Vereinigung, 3. Band, Heft 5, 13. Jahrgang, Februar 1939. Digitalisat (PDF).
External links