four weeks ago today, 16 Anniversary in February 2010 to the 175th Anniversary of the birth of the Weimar local sculptor Adolf von. On 16 February 1835 he entered the Rittergasse 5 for the Town of Weimar, the son of a carpenter's world. He spent his youth in relation to the former Franciscan monastery on the back of the house located at the Palais Wittumspalais
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Photo: Peter Rost Two of his most important works still shape the face of the city: the equestrian statue of Grand Duke Carl August at the place of democracy and the fountain in the small square corner Rittergasse / Geleitsstraße. They have become a symbol of the classical city. During the presentation of Carl August's equivalent to a Roman emperor of the usual representational art, the fountain shows at the Geleitsstraße Donndorf freedom of design and choice of subject, as he dedicated the fountain figure as a gift the city of Weimar. To this beautiful Weimar Well here a few words on the history of this well, the figure makes a total of four times: in November 1876, after his move to Stuttgart, Donndorf received the order, a fountain figure for New York to create. The client was the philanthropist William D. built the fountain at Union Square and 25th, James October 1881 as "The James Fountain" revealed.
Photo: Archives rust gave in 1892, the 1848 also emigrated to America Oswald Ottendorf (until 1887 editor of the German "New York State Newspaper") of his home town of Svitavy (Svitavy today in the Czech. Republic) has a cast of the fountain sculpture group in memory of his mother Catherine. He is therefore "mother love" mentioned. Originally located in front of an equally well endowed public library was moved as part of road construction in a park.
Photo: Archives rust The two gargoyles as side-mounted lion heads were unfortunately stolen, but are supported by the city of Stuttgart reproduction cast by the Weimar Donndorfbrunnen removed silicone masks are restored. As
Donndorf 1894 learned that should be redesigned in his home town of Weimar the so-called "Adelebrunnen" at the bottom escort street, he donated a cast of the New York group well for the well, a sign of his gratitude to his native city of Weimar. The front of the fountain designed by city architect Schmidt with a bronze plate, the inscription:
"In my hometown in love and gratitude for."
Photo: Peter Rost The bronze sculpture was conserved 1995; the pavement surrounding the fountain in 1997 renewed. But that's the story of the group of figures is not over!
After New York, Svitavy received Stuttgart and Weimar 1898 the fourth and last casting of this group of figures. The fountain was designed by the Stuttgart city architect Emil Mayer and constructed in Bavarian blue granite. Iniatoren of the well were the Stuttgart publisher Wilhelm Spemann unjd the club to promote the arts. Namesake of the well is Princess Pauline, the daughter of the last king Württemberg, Wilhelm II, the bronze sculpture was but in 1st World War II in the fall of 1917 melted down. 1920 at their place a granite bowl was placed that did not, however, the overall proportions of the plant. So there was always Iniatives to complete the well system, which decided, however, always lack of money scheiterten.2007 the Foundation "Stuttgart Brünnele" the Pauline fountain crowned again with the group of figures Donndorf. In that time, the city of Weimar, said the cooperative assistance available - the Donndorfbrunnen in Weimar was to be restored - and in this context, a silicone impression of the figure in original size and the two lion head gargoyles made. In the company Strassaker sweeteners in the figure were poured and completed the finishing touches. In November 2007, the Weimar Donndorf Fountain in a new light shone on 4 May 2008 was inaugurated a mother's love figure on the Pauline fountain in Stuttgart.
Photo: Archives rust
The location of the Weimar fountain has, unfortunately, a blemish on - the entire west side of the small intimate place with former Arsenal and district court was during the bombing of Weimar in February 1945 destroyed and has not been rebuilt. Only along the cooper street, a building was erected, the remaining area does limit and as a possible site for future Bauhaus Museum Weimar also useless.
Photo: City Museum Weimar on the remaining space open today old town just small stores its doors:
the former Hofbuchhandlung Katarina Beckers, today bookstore "Thelen," Buchbinder Rainer Schipke (formerly Uwe spring), shield business Annelies Pennewitz with the small screen Museum upstairs and now a hostel. Katarina Becker could throw my studies sometimes a glimpse of a clover-etching, a classmate of mine bought then three Bauhaus tickets to the exhibition in 1920 at her for approx 60, - M. Even Buchbinder spring was a Weimar institution: he collects today Karl-May-spending. All mosaic collectors were here bind their volumes - in red. He had his own system to keep apart the individual client. So this place is still a piece of Weimar history.
Photo: Peter Rost By the way Weimar by the lack of understanding of his to lament the Prince not only the loss of the Rodin collection, the new rulers after 1945 were not better Donndorf had the plaster casts of nearly all of his works placed in a specially created museum buildings on the site of today's Museum of Prehistory and Early History; the Donndorf Museum on 30 July 1907 opened and destroyed after 1945.
